QUAIL-FOOD PLANTS OF THE SOUTHEASTERN STATES 9 
abundant and more important in the Coastal Plain than elsewhere. 
It grows chiefly in sandy soils. 
42. MORNING-GLORIES 
Many kinds of morning-glory, particularly of the genus Ipomoea, 
are found in the Southeast. In some fields they are abundant enough 
to be valuable as quail food. 
43. STINGNETTLE 
Six species of stingnettle (7ragia) occur in the Southeast, where 
they are prevalent in sandy soils. TJ. urens is used as a quail food. 
The plants are erect or reclining perennials, with alternate leaves 
that are usually coated with stinging hairs. Their fruits are dry 
capsules containing three globose, mottled or spotted seeds. 
44. SHEEP SORREL; DOCK; AND OTHER GREEN-FOOD PLANTS 
Sheep sorrel, or field sorrel (Rumex acetosella), is a common peren- 
nial weed with soft, arrow-shaped, acid-tasting, basal leaves. The 
stems are slender, several inches to a foot or more high, often reddish 
in color and having close clusters of small flowers and dry fruits. 
The latter are eaten freely, but the main value of the plant lies in its 
usefulness as green food. In this respect it shares importance with 
clover (Trifolium), chickweed (Alsine), Mexican-clover (Richardia 
scabra), and woodsorrel (Xanthoralis). Other species of Rumex are 
of minor importance as quail food. 
45. MEXICAN-CLOVER 
Mexican-clover (Richardia scabra) is a common southern annual, 
similar to its sprawling relative buttonweed (Diodella teres), but 
distinct in having the flowers clustered and mainly terminal. Bob- 
whites use the leaves for green food and eat the seeds to a limited 
extent. 
46. VETCHES 
Quail eat the seeds of cultivated vetches (Vicia) readily in localities 
where the crop is raised. The plants mature in spring, when the 
seeds of other legumes may be scarce. 
REFERENCES 
Persons or organizations interested in the efficient development of 
quail preserves or in the improvement of quail ranges will find useful 
information in the final report ” of the 5-year cooperative quail inves- 
tigation conducted by the Bureau of Biological Survey and a com- 
mittee of sportsmen. It is available at a nonprofit price through 
special arrangement with the Quail Study Fund Committee. . The 
address of the publishers may be obtained from the Bureau of Bio- 
logical Survey. Also there is available a directory of dealers in 
quail-food plants. 
ILLUSTRATIONS 
In the illustrations that follow, the plant parts other than seeds 
are reduced to half or quarter natural size. Thescale of magnification 
of seeds is with few exceptions indicated. The drawings were made 
by the author from living and pressed material and from photographs. 
2 STODDARD, H. L. THE BOBWHITE QUAIL: ITS HABITS, PRESERVATION, AND INCREASE. 559 pp., illus. 
New York, 1931. 
