THE GAME BREEDER 



179 



tain species are not prolific in their repro- 

 duction, rarely having more than one or 

 two eggs. Hence, in many seasons the 

 whole, or at least part of the total in- 

 crease of these birds may be destroyed 

 by predatory animals or by human beings. 

 This is true not only of the family Co- 

 lumbidas to which the dove and pigeon 

 belong but of the family Ardeidse (egrets, 

 herons, etc.) which are so much sought 

 for by plume hunters, especially in the 

 mating season. These birds are of a 

 confiding nature, easily approached on the 

 nest, and so make an easy prey to the 

 gunner or netter. Consequently, our ef- 

 forts should be .centered in protecting 

 those birds which are under natural dis- 

 advantages. But this is not enough : all 

 of our game birds need to be intelligently 

 conserved. 



The protection now given many spe- 

 cies of migratory birds by the United 

 States Department of Agriculture have a 

 beneficial effect in perpetuating those 

 birds not entirely exterminated. 



The only game bird that has proved 

 itself able to survive in the face of all 

 the obstacles presented by encroaching 

 civilization is the California valley quail 

 (Lophortyx calif ornica). This bird is 

 able to care for himself under any and 

 all existing conditions if given a square 

 deal. It adapts itself readily to all con- 

 ditions, and is the peer of any game bird 

 in the world. This bird is also capable 

 of taking the conceit out of any cham- 

 pion at the traps, and makes a dog well- 

 trained on other game look like a tyro. 

 It uses judgment in flight, when flushed, 

 which a military expert would call mas- 

 terly ; and even when wounded it shows 

 all the qualities of a strategist. Always 

 willing to match its brains against those 

 of the gunner, it, in most instances, 

 meets with success. In egg production 

 the valley quail excels all other game 

 birds, not excepting the pheasant, part- 

 ridge, grouse or sage hen, scarcely ever 

 laying less than eighteen eggs at one year 

 old, and at three years frequently laying 

 twenty-two or more eggs. Furthermore, 

 it usually succeeds in hatching and rais- 

 ing all or a very large percentage, and 

 frequently hatches a second brood. This 

 is nearly always the case if the first nest 



is destroyed. Quail eat almost any seed 

 or wild berry. Noxious weed seeds are 

 destroyed in great numbers ; hence they 

 are most useful birds to the farmer, 

 orchardist or vineyardist. I believe the 

 quail ranks highest as an insectivorous 

 game bird. 



The quail is one of the only game 

 birds which is attracted by civilization, 

 and if not molested this bird will make 

 its home near a farm cottage. The val- 

 ley quail is king of all he surveys, pug- 

 nacious to a high degree, and will hold 

 his own against any other bird encroach- 

 ing on his domain. He is always true to 

 his mate, is invariable non-polygamous 

 and always chooses his own mate in 

 captivity or freedom. This bird 

 has survived a four months' open 

 season with a bag limit of twenty per 

 day, or 140 per week. It has been 

 hunted with the best dogs in the world, 

 chased with something like 121,664 au- 

 tomobiles fully armed, and rapid fire 

 automatic and. pump guns in the hands 

 of 159,164 hunters. It is surely a mar- 

 vel that any of these birds still remain. 



The range of the valley quail in north- 

 ern California is from sea level to 3,000 

 feet above, rarely ever being found above 

 this elevation. The valley quail is not 

 migratory, except under adverse food 

 conditions. Only at times do they wan- 

 der far from their feeding grounds, and 

 they invariably return each season to the 

 place where they were raised. 



In over thirty years' experience in the 

 field with this bird, from the south line 

 of its range to its northern limits, I 

 have never seen a sick or diseased valley 

 quail. They are strong moulters, and 

 this perhaps insures their being practi- 

 cally immune from disease. Of all the 

 gallinaceous birds, Lophortyx calif ornica 

 is the fittest representative of the game 

 bird family. Hence he will continue to 

 prove the survival of the fittest. If the 

 time ever arrives in California when all 

 our game is on the verge of extermina- 

 tion, this grand game bird will be one of 

 the last to disappear. 



Our efforts to aveft this rapid exter- 

 mination of bird life by the introduction 

 of new species of game birds into Cali- 

 fornia has not met with success commen- 



