THE VIRGINIA PARTRIDGE. 393 



succeeding autumn they numbered, with their progeny, 

 twenty -eight birds. The whole flock was very tame and 

 familiar, and they proved very interesting pets. 



To the sportsman the Quail is one of the greatest favor- 

 ites among our game birds. It lies well to the dog in almost 

 all seasons and localities, and when a covey is found in de- 

 sirable cover, a good bag may be counted on by a fair shot. 

 I have often bagged as large a percentage as a dozen out of 

 fifteen birds in a covey, and there are sportsmen who claim 

 to have shot every bird in the covey. When the birds first 

 break cover, if the dog has done his work well, one ought to 

 get at least a brace with right and left barrels, and then 

 when the covey is " marked down " in good cover, their scat- 

 tered numbers ought to be picked up, one by one, by almost 

 a novice. Of course, perfect coolness in the sportsman is a 

 requisite ; for the bird gets up with a sudden whir and dash 

 and flies away with the speed of a bullet. 



In nine cases out of ten when I have missed my bird it 

 has been owing to my firing too quickly, and before the bird 

 had got fairly out where the charge could separate. 



The Quail is a very prolific bird or it would be entirely 

 extirpated. The trained dog points to its hiding-place with 

 unerring accuracy ; the improved breech-loader, aimed by 

 the practiced hunter, empties its charge with fearful cer- 

 tainty and is reloaded with great rapidity. The net cap- 

 tures with one fell swoop a whole covey ; the birds and 

 beasts of prey destroy great numbers ; and the merciless 

 winter piles a murderous depth of snow upon them in their 

 roosting-places on the ground. Yet by a series of wonder- 

 ful escapes, enough are left in the spring to perpetuate the 

 race and enliven with their sprightly whistle our fields and 

 meadows through the glorious summer time. 



