170 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



Nest, on the ground in a natural or excavated hollow, lined with grass or 

 leaves, usually sheltered by tall grass, weeds, bushes or brush. 



Eggs, pure white, said to range in numbers from ten to forty, the larger lots 

 supposed to include contributions from several females ; fifteen being considered 



the usual set. 



Bob-white may be claimed as a permanent resident in Southern 

 Ontario, which is the northern limit of his range, but he has hard 

 work to hold his own against the many influences that are continually 

 operating against him. Birds of prey, crows, jays, weasels, dogs, 

 cats, mowing machines, and sportsmen of all classes tend to thin the 

 ranks ; but worst of all are the vicissitudes of winter. The spells of 

 cold weather, during which the mercury gets down below zero, and 

 the occasional long-continued deep snow, tell so severely against this 

 little bird, that were it not for his wonderful capacity for increase he 

 would soon be exterminated. 



The Quail follows in the wake of cultivation, and under ordinary 

 circumstances thrives best near the abode of man. It is a good 

 friend to the farmer, and is well entitled to his protection in return 

 for the service it renders, not only in the consumption of large 

 quantities of the seeds of noxious weeds, but also in the destruction 

 of many sorts of insects whose ravages among the crops are often very 

 severe and difficult to prevent. A recent writer mentions having 

 examined the crop of one which was killed as it rose from a potato 

 patch, and having 'found that it contained seventy-five potato bugs. 

 This is only one of the many instances illustrating the value of this 

 bird to the farmer. 



Were I a farmer, I should hang on the end of my barn the motto, 

 inscribed in goodly characters, "Spare the Quail." 



Many interesting articles have from time to time appeared in 

 sporting magazines concerning the query — Has the Quail the power 

 to withhold its scent? , 



No one acquainted with the habits of the birds can deny that at 

 times the best of dogs fails to find them where they have been marked 

 down, but how this happens is a subject regarding which sportsmen 

 still hold different opinions. 



From among many instances given in illustration of the fact, we 

 select the following by Dr. H. E. Jones, an enthusiastic sportsman 

 and naturalist: "A few years ago I was out with a friend, and we 

 flushed a very large bevy, and marked them down accurately on an 

 elevated piece of ground in a woodland pasture. The grass was short 

 and there was not even a weed or briar, but here and there a large 



