FOREST AND. STREAM. 



11 



or perplexing. They are hero to-day and there to-morrow, 

 never staying long in a place, and some seasons scarcely mak- 

 ing an appearance at all, though, when found, lie tolerably 

 well to a dog, and are a nice, palatable, bird. We have been 

 unable to suggest any of the Seolopaei&fB as a substitute or 

 auxiliary. There are many Species of the snipe in the world, 

 but their Habits are so nomadic as to render hopeless the task 

 of localization or breeding. 

 • The woodcock is, to our mind, the crown jewel, the very 

 iu plus vlirn of all sport. To a man who loves a well-bred, 

 well-trained dog, and also loves shooting in cover with — as 

 dear old Isank Walton used to say — "a companion that is 

 cheerful and free from swearing," no bird gives SO much 

 pleasure, so much real joy and satisfaction as this noble bird 

 — the woodcock. They arrive in March, breed early, stay 

 with us till November, and would probably be quite plenty if 

 we could enforce a law making all the year, except Septem- 

 ber, October and November, a close season. But these birds 

 are mercilessly pursued by old and young, in season and out 

 of season, with all sorts and conditions of arms and animals, 

 until it is almost, impossible to make a respectable bag. It 

 is believed that some Of our finest woodcock sections have 

 been ruined by the birds being killed in J tine ou their breed- 

 ing grounds, and none arc left the following spring, 

 as they are wont, to return to the place of their 

 nativity to reproduce their young. Stringent laws 

 have been granted by the Legislature, but there seems 

 to be no disposition on the part of the gunners to 

 observe, or the authorities to enforce these laws. Game 

 laws are looked upon by most people as an infringement of 

 their natural and inherent rights, to be spurned and trampled 

 upon whenever and wherever encountered. The earlier settlers 

 of New England had to contend with the savages aud savage 

 beasts for the soil they occupied, and only by the skillful use 

 of the gun were they frequently saved from destruction. When 

 starvation stood upon the threshold of the little hut, the gun 

 brought the wished-for meat, and all were happy again. Hunt- 

 ing was a necessity, and what at first was a pinching necessity 

 afterwird became a pleasant pastime. As game grew scarce, 

 1be aid of the Legislature was invoked for its preservation, 

 but many shortsighted persons declared that gunning and fish- 

 ing had in this country ever been free, and so they must for- 

 ever remain. And this is the spirit by which the friends of 

 the protective system are met. Time, observation, statistics, 

 our sporting literature and intelligent sportsmen are doing 

 much to obliterate these prejudices, and yet he who under- 

 takes to correct or reform the habits or morals of a people, has 

 before him no light task. But the question before, us now is, 

 can we introduce any new species of waders that will take the 

 place of or aid in preserving our woodcock ? Would the 

 European woodcock (Scolopwc rusUcola) if once planted here, 

 be successful in its results ? It is a splendid bird, larger than 

 its congener this side the ocean, and if colonized would prob- 

 ably thrive well. It is, however, no easy matter to capture 

 them in such numbers as would be required to stock a conti- 

 nent. It would be a grand enterprise, and we hope some 

 magnanimous individual or rich club will do itself the honor of 

 the experiment. 



The partridge is the largest of our game birds, and is eager- 

 ly sought, both for table and field. They are hardy, capable 

 of enduring the severest weather, feeding in winter mostly on 

 buds and roosting upon trees, or plunging into soft snow to 

 escape the cold and other enemies. If while thus encased in 

 flaky folds, a light rain should fall and then suddenly freeze 

 so as to form a crust, they would be unable to extricate them- 

 selves, and quite likely in this waj r many would perish. But the 

 most destructive enemy of the partridge is the snare or trap. 

 An expert with these wicked and nefarious contrivances can, 

 in a short time, "clean out" all the partridges within his reach. 

 No species of bird can, we presume, be exterminated by the 

 gun, while several may be with snares. 



Then we have the sharp-tailed grouse (Pedicectes pliasumel- 

 lus) of the Bocky Mountains, which would undoubtedly 

 thrive well in the mountain regions of New England. They 

 survive the winters there, why not here ? We know that cli- 

 mate, soil and food have much to do with the successful 

 planting and propagating new species of plants or animals. 

 Many years ago some benevolent gentlemen undertook to col- 

 onize the pinnated grouse, or heath hens (Cuspidonia cupido), 

 on Cape Cod. Ample legal protection was thrown around 

 them by the Legislature, and it was believed they would in 

 time spread and populate the whole commonwealth. But in 

 place of doing this, they gradually dwindle away, most likely 

 from want of food in that barren region, till none are left, save 

 possibly a few on the island of Naushon. This may bo another 

 evidence in favor of Darwin's theory of the "Survival of the 

 Fittest." Phassiancllus may be one of these, while Cupido 

 evidently is not. We hope, before another spring, some 

 liberal minded individual will not only stock the Green 

 Mountain range with these noble birds, but also the heaths of 

 Cape Cod. 



In Europe, there are several of the partridge family that 

 would undoubtedly thrive well in this country, among them 

 the English partridge (Perdix oincreas) is very prolific, feed- 

 ing in corn a*nd turnip fields, where they persist in staying, 

 and if driven from one. part, they immediate! y rally in an- 

 other; but as they roost upon the ground huddled together, and 

 are not migratory, it is somewhat problematical whether they 

 would go through our hard winters. The latitude of Virginia 

 would suit them splendidly, and would, we think, if once in- 

 troduced, make a fine addition to their present stock of game 

 biids. 



The red-legged partridge (Pe?-div rubra) of France, was, 

 about eighty yoars ago, introduced into England by the Mar- 

 quis of Hertford and others, and has, in some counties, be- 

 comb very abundant. Its flesh is regarded inferior to Cincrca, 

 but still is a great favorite with most sportsmen. We do not 

 Forget, however, that the winters in Old England arc much 

 milder than in New England. 



The boon we devoutly desire is a migratory bird. Our na- 

 tive quail is a toothsome, prolific, cunning, gamy little fellow, 

 feeding chiefly on seeds and grains in winter, most of which 

 are within a. foot of the ground, all of which are at any time 

 placed beyond his reach by a fall of two feet of snow. Nor 

 is he a good traveler upou tight snow. But it so happens that 

 every few years a deep, damp snow falls in the night-time 

 upon the birds as they are huddled together in a little circle, 

 heads OUt, and if at such time a sudden change in the weather 

 takes place, so as to freeze the surface, they can never escape. 

 The bones of whole bevies have frequently been found as the 

 suow melts away in the following spring. Nay, more; whole 

 sections of country have in this way been depopulated, and 

 then the anxious sportsman must wait long years till the few 

 that escape in some remote corner have time to propagate and 

 spread overthe land so as to make good shooting again. The 

 consumer fares better, as he can get a supply from the South 

 or West. These considerations have led to the inquiry as to 

 whether there is not some of the quail family better adapted 

 to our inhospitable climate. 



California quail (Lophortyx caUfornica) are a very numerous 

 bird along the Pacific Slopes of the mountains, as well as the 

 plains, and at no dis'ant day will, we trust, be transplanted on 

 the Atlantic shores, where it is destined to become one of our 

 most popular and interesting game birds. We understand 

 they are partially migratory, i. e,, they travel from the moun- 

 tain regions to the plains below, or to the seaboard, where 

 there is very little snow, and return again in spring. They 

 lay a great many eggs ; in some instances as many as twenty- 

 four, and, to cover them, both parents incubate at the same 

 time. Their food is quite similar to that of our quail, but 

 they are more gregarious, often assembling in flocks of several 

 hundred t ach. Another feature in their habits, and the one 

 most favorable to their propagation here, is that, at the ap- 

 proach of evening, they run from the open fields to the thick 

 oak forest trees, upon which they roost at night. If the habit 

 of roosting on trees is universal, they would escape death by 

 deep snows, and would certainly be a success here if they 

 could be supplied with food. By introducing three or four 

 new species of game birds, we should attract a portion of the 

 gunners from their old haunts, and thereby make better 

 shooting for those who remain ; and, further, we shall have 

 added something to our food supply, which is a subject worthy 

 the attention of our wisest legislators. 



Of all the game birds that have come to our notice, the one 

 that has most good qualities and best adapted to succeed and 

 prosper in this country, is the common migratory quail of 

 Europe (C'otwnix comtrnmi-s), or, as Mr. Baird prefers, Golur- 

 nix dactylisonans. They are about two-thirds the size of 

 Ortyx virginianw, generally lighter color or rufous brown, 

 suffused with fulvous ; bill slim, long and less arched; legs 

 slender and nearly flesh color; wings larger in proportion 

 than our quail, and the whole make-up more delicate. Their 

 food is largely insectivorous, as their bills indicate. They lie 

 well to a dog, and often do not all spring at once, but get up 

 one or two at a time, and then give the gun an excellent op- 

 portunity to do its work. The bird is very common all over 

 Europe, Asia and parts of Africa, going as far north as Scan- 

 dinavia in summer to breed, but almost upon the first chill 

 blast of autumn the warning note is given, and the little bevy 

 is summoned to depart from the breeding ground to the more 

 genial climate of the South. In September and October vast 

 numbers of them are seen along the northern shores of the 

 Mediterranean preparing for the long flight across the sea to 

 North Africa, where they pass the winter, and, it is said, 

 bring out another brood of young. The nearest point at 

 which they would be likely to cross must be about 100 miles, 

 which is a long flight for a bird with so large a body and so 

 small a wing. Whether the two continents were originally 

 more nearlj r united than at present, as is assumed by some of 

 our savants, and the birds by the constant widening of the 

 channel have been gradually educated to these long flights, is not 

 a subject for discussion here. Certain it is that many on their 

 passage are met by storms or adverse winds and perish in the 

 sea. In April and May they return again in serried columns. 

 On this continent we have very little conception of the vast 

 numbers, the multitudinous millions of these birds. They 

 have been the marvel of all generations from pre-historic 

 periods to the present day. The language of the Pentateuch, 

 the Psalms and of the writers of ancient and modern times 

 would seem to warrant any extravagant expression we might 

 use. " And it came to pass that even the quails came up and 

 covered the camp." — Exodus, xvi., 13. "And there went 

 forth a wind from the Lord and brought quails from the sea 

 and let them fall by th.3 camp, as it were a day's journey on 

 this side, and as it were a day's journey on the other side, 

 round about the camp, and as it were two cubits high upon 

 the face of the earth."— Numbers, xi., 31. '-The people 

 asked, and he brought quails and satisfied them. "—Psalm, cv., 

 40. Bellonius says : " When we sailed from Rhodes to Alex- 

 andria, about autumn, many quails flying from the north to 

 the south were taken in our ship; and sailing at spring time 

 the contrary way, from tlie south to the north, 1 observed 

 them on thejv return where many of them were taken in the 



same manner." Bumstead in his very useful book for young 

 sportsmen, entitled " On the Wing," uses the following lan- 

 guage : " It, is recorded that on one occasion such a quantity 

 of them appeared on the west coast of the kingdom of Naples 

 that one hundred thousand were taken in a single day, and 

 all within the space of si\ miles; and on the island of Capri, 

 not far from the city of Naples, so many were annually cap- 

 tured that they formed the principal source of the revenue of 

 the bishop of that diocese, who, in consequence, rejoices 

 in the. title of the 'Bishop of Quails.'" Quail fight- 

 ing was one of the amusements of the Athenians, and 

 in Italy and China at the present time large sums of 

 money are staked upon the issue of a single combat, 

 the same as with us upon the success of our game- 

 cocks. They an- sold in Naples and other markets for one or 

 two cents a piece, and their return each season is hailed with 

 joy by the peasants, as aiding to patch out their slender reve- 

 nues. We must say, in view of all this, that we have not, 

 been without our fears, lest, if they were introduced into this 

 country, they would in time become so numerous as to "waste 

 and havoc " our gram fields. The world is said to be gov- 

 erned by equivalents, aud it is possible that, in the wisdom of 

 Divine Providence, the Fox gun was invented about the game 

 time that the project, of importing these birds was conceived, 

 by the use of which, and other improved breech-loaders, our 

 agricultural interests may be protected from these devouring 

 hordes. So thoroughly impressed were we in favor of this 

 prolific little foreigner that he would fill a gap and furnish 

 food for millions of our people, we set about finding some one 

 who had been in Sicily or Southern Italy that could give us 

 some positive and re'iablc information about them. For this 

 purpose we visited several ship masters then in port, but none 

 of them had taken the slightest interest in the matter, nor did 

 they evidently care to. We came pretty i horonghly to under- 

 stand that sailing a ship and shooting quail were quite differ- 

 ent occupations aud often developed dissimilar characteristics. 

 We w^ere about discouraged. At last we were put up»n the 

 track of Capt. P. M. Beal, of the bark Neptune, who had just 

 arrived from Messina with a caigo of fruit and sulphur. The 

 captain not being ou board at the time of our call, we walked 

 up and down the wharf, and as we gazed upon the tons of one 

 part of the cargo, we were forcibly remiuded of the lessons 

 about the " bottomless pit " we received in early youth from 

 our pious mother, and started for State street. A note toon 

 brought us in contact with the captain, which amply rewarded 

 us for all our trouble. He is a genial, intelligent, communi- 

 cative gentleman, and withal an enthusiastic sportsman, gene- 

 rally taking on board a fine dog, with which, while in a for- 

 eign port discharging and taking in cargo, he manages to get 

 a few days' shootiDg. He at once entered heartily into the 

 spirit of our plan ; had ofteu shot the quail, knew their habits, 

 and would aid us in every way possible. He gave the name 

 of his friend and brother sportsman in Messina, Dominiek 

 Fisher, who would be likely to take an interest in purchasing 

 and forwarding the birds to us. The next voyage of Captain 

 B. was to the West Indies, and should we fail in getting the 

 quail that spring, it was understood he would bring out two 

 or three hundred on his next voyage to Messina the following 

 winter. At once we addressed a note to Mr, F., from which 

 we make the following extract : 



Boston, March, 27, 1875. 

 Dominiek Fuller, Esq., Missina: 



Dear Sik — Several sportsmen in (his vicinity wish to try 

 the experiment of introducing European quail (Coturnix com- 

 munis) into this country. But "how pre nc to get them 

 here?" This is the question that gives us most trouble * * 

 We would like to ask if, in your opinion, the birds can be ob- 

 tained in numbers, say two or three hundred, and, if so at 

 what price ? At what season ol' the year can it be. done ? ' 



Very truly yours, \v. Hapgood. 



We presume the letter miscarried, as no answer was re- 

 ceived. We must now wait till Capt. B. makes his autumn 

 trip, hopiog he may get out before the birds migrate for 

 Africa. He did not, however, arrive till near December, 

 when no birds were to be found, and he returned in the 

 spring of 1876 to relate his trials and receive our condolence. 

 What then was to be done ? We had worried through a 

 whole year, and were no nearer the goal of our ambitiontban 

 when we started. Shall we abandon the scheme altogether '' 

 No; we will "dwell in our necessity" till another fall 

 hoping our captain will get an early voyage " up the Straits " 

 and our heart's desire realized. Not so; the gales that ush- 

 ered in the autumn also wafted the " Neptune/' with our co- 

 adjutor on board, to the ports of Bcyroot and Alexandria 

 We might send an order to Messina, but our success hitherto 

 in that direction had not inspired us with much confidence- 

 and, besides, these birds require a great deal of attention! 

 1 hey must be fed and watered regularly, their cages must be 

 kept clean, and they must be free from a liability to be wet, 

 with salt water. We might for a consideration secure the 

 services of a steward to perform this duty, but if the birds 

 were shipped via London or Liverpool, would that service be 

 transferred with them to the ship for Boston or New York? 

 Neglect, mismanagement, a few days' delay might disrupt 

 our whole scheme. Bather than run this risk we preferred 

 to take our chance of getting them at B. or A., as Captain B 

 had orders before he sailed to bring with him as many as he 

 could^knowmg as we did that they would receive the very 

 best of care. He came very near securing 150 at Alexandria 

 but just as the prize was about to be clutched it slipped and 

 he came home in early spring empty-handed. Now comes 

 another voyage to the West Indies, but previous to his sailin- 

 we instructed him to write to his friend Fisher to fhip two or 

 three hundred of the quail, dividing the lot, if he thought 

 best, sending one moiety to New York and the other to 

 Boston, or the whole to either place. They were to be con- 

 signed, care of Adams & Cos Express, to John H. WTiitcomb 

 ot Aver Junction, Mass., who had from the very first been 

 one of the warmest friends of the enterprise, for distribution 

 Lfttc m May we had the satisfaction of receiving a tette) 



