THE GAME BREEDER 123 



BOB- WHITE IN THE WEST. 



By John B. Thompson. 



[This interesting article about the bob- white, from Bird-Lore, is a valuable addi- 

 tion to the stories about the introduction of bob-white in Montana by Hon. M. D. Bald- 

 win, Commissioner of Montana, and the bob- white in Oregon, by Wm. F. Finley, which 

 were published in The Game Breeder. — Editor.] 



In introducing Bob White, Colinus solely to observe the work of their set- 

 virginianus, into the western states, lit- ters and pointers on them. Others start 

 tie thought to the natural environments to raise quails because they wish them 

 of this most desirable of game birds has on their estates, and they love them as 

 been given. Those who have exhibited they love all bird-life, and do all in their 

 much devotion to bird-life are actuated power to protect them, 

 by commendable motives, when they en- The average place where quails have 

 deavor to give to western fields the lit- been planted in the West has been a 

 tie brown birds that have proven such ranch that has been kept scrupulously 

 industrious partners to the farmers in clean of foul weed growths. It seems 

 the' South in their efforts to combat in- that only the richer class and those who 

 sect pests. The more a community has have succeeded in their farming at- 

 to offer in the way of a plentitude of tempts aspire to have Bob Whites 

 bird-life, the more it can boast of its established in their community. Clean- 

 freedom from harmful creatures, and liness and success in farming or fruit 

 the esthetic side, too, gains much. culture are inseparable. And just for 



Probably, if conditions where Bob this reason failures have resulted from 



Whites thrive were taken into consider- attempts to establish Bob Whites in the 



ation, greater success would follow their West. The habitat in the South where 



introduction into new places. The ef- the birds are most plentiful needs only 



fects of capture, long travel, confine- to be cited to confirm this. The poorly 



ment, and the many other nervous little cultivated or abandoned farm bearing in 



jars during their change from place, abundance only ragweed, lespedeza, 



right at the start militate against their sumach, rank growths of beggar lice and 



welfare. The better side only of the wild peas, is the home where they mul- 



trafiic in game birds we hear of ; the tiply the most. And there, also, as a 



loss of bird-life in this way is seldom guard against predatory creatures of 



mentioned. Even a change of water the air, are the network of dewberry 



may have some appreciable influence on vines on the ground and the thickets of 



quails. But how, when and where they briars. Farms in the West that have 



are liberated after their arrival are the been stocked with quails in most cases 



most important subjects to be thought afford conditions directly the contrary, 



of. On these depend the burden of their The natural winter feeds are lacking, 



future existence and perpetuation of and the shelters they have always fre- 



their kind. quented are not there. 



Sportsmen have been the ones who It is reasonable to anticipate better 

 have done most for the propagation of results from the introduction of Bob 

 Bob Whites in new countries. In truth. Whites, if on every eighty acres of land 

 in this the inspiration for later sport one-half of an acre or even a smaller 

 with gun and dog has been the incentive, plot is given to the birds, and in it are 

 but yet field trial clubs in many places planted weeds and cover vines as near- 

 have been content to have these birds ly similar as would grow to those in 



