The Valley Quails 



rest of the story is told by another lady, a neighbor across the street, 

 who had happened to observe the hiding of the chicks and the return of 

 the parents. The lady first hastened down to the sidewalk to confirm 

 her surmise, and found the instructed brood huddled together and abso- 

 lutely motionless. She then returned and watched the old birds while 

 they searched and called in anxiety upon the lawn, until further effort 

 seemed useless, whereupon they returned to the infantile cache, withdrew 

 the injunction of silence and led the brood away to the hills. 



When I was rehearsing this incident to Mrs. O. D. Norton of Monte- 

 cito, then residing at "Mira Vista," she related a similar story of a nesting 

 on top of her house. The nest had not been discovered until the little 

 ones were hatched and were seen running about on the roof. Part of 

 the roof of the place is covered by a roof-garden pergola, which is buried 

 under a mass of vines, and it was here, although fully thirty feet from the 

 ground, that the nesting undoubtedly took place. Mrs. Norton declares 

 that some of the chicks, at least, were carried to the ground in the beaks 

 of the parent birds. 



The discussion still rages as to whether the Valley Quail raises two 

 broods a year or only one. It seems probable, however, that later nests 

 are only second attempts on the part of birds who have lost their first 

 broods. It must not be forgotten that young quails, as well as eggs in 



Taken near Santa Barbara Photo by the Author 



"OR EVEN HIDDEN IN THE CRANNY OF A ROCK" 



1584 



