372 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
appears in Forest and Stream for Sept. 28, i882(p. 164). 
The female had been hatched and reared by a bantam 
hen, and this circumstance has an important bearing on 
experiments of this kind. It is altogether probable that 
bobwhites hatched and reared in this way would lend 
themselves to experiments in propagation far more read- 
ily than wild birds trapped for the purpose. 
The Department of Agriculture obtained three pairs of 
bobwhites from Kansas, which after five months’ cap- 
tivity are almost as wild as when first caged and show 
no signs of mating. Experiments in the domestication of 
bobwhite are well worth trying, however, because of the 
demand from clubs and individuals for live birds to re- 
stock their grounds. So great has become the demand in 
recent years that it is estimated that 200,000 birds would 
be required annually to fill it. During the spring of 1903 
the demand far exceeded the supply, even at $5 a dozen, 
and sometimes at twice that figure. 
Success in increasing the numbers of bobwhite depends 
largely on controlling its natural enemies, which include 
snakes, foxes, weasels, minks, skunks, domestic cats and 
certain hawks and owls. Several species of snakes eat its 
eggs and young. Writing from Texas, Major Bendire 
says : “The many large rattlesnakes found here are their 
worst enemies. One killed in May had swallowed five of 
these birds at one meal ; another had eaten a female, evi- 
dently caught on her nest, and half a dozen of her eggs; 
a third had taken four bobwhites and a scaled partridge.” 
In Mecklenburg county, Va., the king snake has been 
known to eat a clutch of eggs. At Falls Church, Va., 
Harvey Riley captured a black snake which disgorged a 
newly hatched bobwhite. Reference has been made al- 
ready to the marked decrease in the number of bobwhites 
on the 230-acre farm at Marshall Hall, from fifty odd 
birds in July to less than a dozen in December, though 
not more than a dozen had been shot. This decrease was 
probably due, at least in part, to gray foxes j for in Au- 
gust and September these animals were numerous, and 
often came after the chickens within a stone’s throw of 
the farmhouse. Other predaceous mammals and birds of 
prey were not numerous, but foxes frequently were seen 
at midday searching through pastures where there were 
broods of bobwhites. It must be easy for a fox to ex- 
terminate a whole brood of newly hatched bobwhites, and 
no difficult task to catch them, even when three-fourths 
grown. Minks and weasels, when numerous, are prob- 
ably even more destructive to young bobwhites than to 
domestic poultry. The domestic cat that takes to forag- 
ing in woods and fields is also a menace and should be 
shot on suspicion, for it undoubtedly preys on game birds, 
as it is known to do on song birds and yoimg rabbits. 
In Maryland and Virginia the writer has found the 
crow plundering nests of the bobwhite, and in these 
States the crow is an enemy also' of poultry. Doctor 
Fisher states in his “Hawks and Owls of the United 
States” that of the forty odd species which he studied he 
found only nine that killed the bobwhite. Four of these — 
the goshawk. Cooper hawk, sharp-shinned hawk and 
great-horned owl- — are very destructive to poultry as well 
as game. Dr. W. C. Strode, of Bernadette, III, writes 
that bobwhite’s worst enemy is the Cooper hawk. “A 
few days ago one flew up from the roadside when I was 
passing, and a bobwhite was dangling from one foot.” 
During November, 1900, this species so persecuted the 
birds at Marshall Hall that they were seldom found far 
from cover. In one instance a hawk was seen to swoop 
to the ground and rise with a cock bobwhite. The other 
species of hawks and owls rarely molest quail. 
If bobwhites more frequently , nested along fence rows 
instead of in open mowing land they' would abound in 
many places where they are rare. The mowing machine 
lays many nests bare, and they are either despoiled_ by 
enemies or deserted by the old birds. At Sandy Spring, 
Md., early in July, 1903, four nests with their eggs were 
cut over in a fifty-acre grass lot. In other hay fields sev- 
eral nests were discovered in. time to leave grass uncut 
about them, but boys robbed them all. Between such lads 
and the crows and other enemies bobwhites have a hard 
time in certain sections. 
To enable them to withstand the winter, bobwhites 
need suitable food and cover. In severe winters _ coveys 
are sometimes saved by being trapped and fed in con- 
finement until spring. Naturally the birds suffer most 
in the northern part of their range, but there are reports 
of their death from severe and protracted cold in Mary- 
land and Virginia. Sandys says: “The birds know when 
the snow is coming, and they creep under the brush, in- 
tending to remain there until the weather has cleared. 
* * * Then the rain comes and wets the surface all 
about, then the sleet stiffens it, * * the cold be- 
comes intense, and every foot of damp snow promptly 
hardens into solid ice. * * The quail are now im- 
prisoned beneath a dome of crytal, which may endure for 
days.” H. C. Oberholser says that in severe winters in 
Wayne county, O., whole coveys are found dead from this 
cause. Dr. P. L. Hatch reports that in Minnepta the 
birds increase in numbers during years with mild win- 
ters and decrease when the winter is exceptionally severe. 
Wilson Flagg states in “Birds and Seasons of New Eng- 
land” that thousands of bobwhites were destroyed_ by fh^ 
deep snows of 1856-57. During the very severe winter of 
1903-4 bobwhites were nearly exterminated in portions of 
Massachusetts. That quail do noj always succumb to ex- 
ceptional cold appears from the fact that in Susquehanna 
county. Pa., at an altitude of 2,000 feet, W. W. Cooke 
found a covey of a dozen bobwhites apparently in the best 
of condition on Dec. 9, 1902, though a foot of snow cov- 
ered the ground and the thermometer stood at 20 degrees 
below zero. 
A study of the winter habits of the bobwhite by the 
writer in the vicinity of Washington, D. C., so far has 
yielded only fragmentary results. In February, 1900, after 
a foot of snow had fallen, in a careful two days’ search 
he failed to discover even a track, of a large covey that 
usually frequented river flats along the Potomac at Mar- 
shall Hall. The birds must have been under the snow or 
back in the timber. At Falls Church, Va., after a lighter 
fall of snow, he saw a covey of five moving among briers 
on the edge of a wood, and their fresh tracks showed 
that they had been feeding systematically on rose hips, 
but had not ventured from cover. At Cabin John Bricjge, 
Md., after a snowfall of several inches his dog pointed 
six birds on the south side of a river bluff, where the sun 
had melted holes in the snow. On one of these hare spots 
he saw two birds, which rose and were' joined by fottr 
Pilfers- The covey Jiad made wallows two inches deep in 
the^ leaf mold .on the bare spots. All the birds had 
avoided stepping on the snow. At hand was such food as 
the berries of sumac and the seeds of Galactia volubilis 
and Chamceclirista fascicularis. Examination of the drop- 
pings indicated that less than one-tenth of the food had , 
been animal matter, the remains of which consisted of 
ants, the tibiae of grasshoppers, the spotted cuticle of sol- 
dier bugs, and the cowhorn-like mandibles of spiders. So 
far as could be made out, the remains of vegetable food 
consisted of' the skin of kernels of corn, fragments of the 
akenes of ragweed, and pulverized bits of sumac seeds 
(Rhus copallina), partridge pea (Chamcechrista fascicu- 
laris), milk pea, (Galactia volubilis), and crownbeard 
(Ferbesma) , besides unidentified leaf material. The 
weather had been severe for more than a week, but the 
birds were in good condition. 
On the Marshall Hall farm, a short distance back from 
the banks of the Potomac, is a swamp that has a steep 
bank with a southern exposure where there is usually 
more or less bare ground in patches. For several years 
Itobwhites have made a winter haunt of this warm, sunny 
bank, and here some interesting observations were made 
Feb. t8 and 19, I902, when the snow was from two to 
four inches deep and the minimum temperature was 4 
degrees F. above zero. A covey had spent the night of 
Feb. 17 not on the warm bank, comparatively bare of 
snow, but on the level above the bank, where they had 
squatted on the snow under a dewberry bush among 
brooinsedge. Their feet and droppings had melted the 
snow, and subsequent freezing had formed an icy ring. 
The birds had not flown thither, but had walked from the 
swamp up the steep bank and through the broomsedge 
level. The next morning they had flown from the roost 
to the steep slope, liad run along the edge of the swamp 
to a bushy, tree-bordered stream, then up its north bank 
for 300 yards and back on the south bank, and thence to 
the steep, sunny slope again. On their journey they had 
gone under every matted tangle of cat-brier vines— pos- 
sibly for berries, but more probably for protection. At 
one point they had fed freely on sumac berries. The 
tracks of a fox were found with those of the birds for 
about too yards. On the morning of the 19th they trav- 
eled not more than 200 yards, this chiefly among out- 
standing willows and alders of the swamp and along the 
belt of land five to twenty yards wide between, the b 9 un- 
dary fence and the reeds of the swamp. In one place tWo 
pairs of birds had walked so near together as to Cross 
one another’s tracks; two'swgle birds had made Clear 
lines of tracks on one side of them, and a single bird had 
walked alone on the other side from one to four feet 
from his nearest companion. All had evidently eaten rose 
hips, mutilated remains of which still clung to the bushes, 
The covey might have been expected to range far and 
wide in the open fields for seeds aiid even to straw ricks 
for grain, but except when traveling to their roost they 
had never gone more than a rod from cover. Apparently 
fear of enemies restrained thern. 
An article in the American Field, Feb. 25, 1899, by the 
well known sportsman John Bolus, of Wooster, O., illus- 
trates the hardiness of the ‘ bobwhite. When several 
inches of snow were on the ground and the thermometer 
registered from 15 to 27 degrees below zero every night 
for a week, Mr. Bolus took a tramp to see how the birds 
had fared. He found no dead birds, but saw six thrifty 
coveys — ei.ghty-one birds in all. They were feeding on 
ragweed projecting from the snow, and were jumping up 
to reach seeds on sprays above their heads. Some coveys 
remained under shelter of little weed patches, but others 
ranged over the more open fields. 
In Marrdand and Virginia large land owners often feed 
their birds in severe weather. Wheat and corn are the 
best food, and should be scattered, if possible, among the 
briers where the birds are safe from hawks. Bobwhites 
have been known to feed with chickens in barnyards. By 
a little forethought landowners and sportsmen can easily 
make winter provision for their birds. Sumac bushes 
should be left along hedgerows and the edge of woodland 
to furnish food that is always above the snow and lasts 
w'ell into spring. Tw^elve bob whites collected in December 
in North Dakota had made nine-tenths of their food of 
sumac, having eaten from 50 to 300 berries each. A 
similar use, in coast regions, of the bayberry and wax 
myrtle has been noted. Their berries, as well as those 
of sumac, last till May, and the plants should always be 
spared by everyone who is interested in the welfare of the 
bobwhite. Smilax, affording little food but fine cover, 
and wild roses, giving both food and cover, are also valu- 
able. Blackberry thickets, young pine woods, laurel, and 
holly furnish safe retreats from enemies. 
The farmer can well afford to , feed the bobwhite in 
winter, but he cannot afford to spend as much time and 
money as the owner of game preserves, and for the latter 
class further suggestions may be helpful. In the Eastern 
and Southern States land that will not grow profitable 
crops may be used for the game preserve, provided it 
has water and bushy coverts. The use of the mowing 
machine, so destructive to eggs and young birds, should 
be avoided when possible during the breeding season. 
Wheat for the birds should be sown in long strips not 
over fifty yards wide. The best of the grain may be har- 
vested and the rest left standing. On the stubble a lux- 
uriant grow'th of ragweed wdll generally spring up— a 
perfect food supply, except that it does not last till 
spring; hence the need of sumac or bayberry. In regions 
too dry for ragweed to grow in the stubble, sunflowers 
are an excellent substitute. Sorghum, millet and possibly 
panicum may be planted and left standing. Popcorn will 
be found particularly valuable, as large corn cannot easily 
be swallowed by the younger birds. Buckwheat, and in 
the South the nutritious cowpea, and the climbing false 
buckwheat, the thick tangles of which also afford good 
cover, bear excellent food. Other plants of the genus 
Polygonum are fond of moist land, and furnish palatable 
seeds for the bobwhite; for instance, black bindweed 
Pennsylvania persicaria and black heart. ' All wild 
leguminous plants should be left undisturbed, for 
the birds feed on seeds of most of our legumes. 
Small clumps of locusts may well be left in open 
fields to give both food and cover. Tick _ trefoil, 
bush clover, Japan clover, the milkpea, and the wild bea/i 
■ — all wild plants — are suitable for food. Of the summer 
fruits the dewberry is the most important, and in the ab- 
sence of water furnishes a substitute; therefore these 
vines, nearly - everywhere plentiful, should _ be left- in 
places remote from water. A \yater supply is, of course, 
important Streams with bush-grown banks through 
tNov. 4 1905. 
open fields are most valuable. Beside them will be foun( 
spreading panicum, whieh shells out its grain a kernel t 
two at a time until well into spring. Birds find foot 
shade, water, and shelter in the vegetation along sma^ 
streams. _ Marshes also afford cover and food. If cor 
nected with estuaries they often support a rank growt 
of wild rice, an ideal provision for birds. Sufficiei 
shelter to protect the birds from hawks is almost indii 
pensable. Oak and beech woods supply mast as well "i\ 
shelter, but pines afford the best cover, and Some ci 
them, notably the longleaf pine, furnish food. A con 
fortable retreat for the Coldest weather is invaluable, li 
Maryland and Virginia fields of heavy brooinsedge aij 
swer this purpose well, but best of all is a steep ban* 
with southern exposure, whete the sun quickly meltS th 
snow, and gives the birds a chance to forage on bat 
spots for food and gravel. If such a bank is not far froii 
cover, and has a growth of briers on it to give the bird 
a feeling of security, it will become a favorite winfi 
haunt; and during severe weather is the best place 1 
scatter grain. With a little help from man the bobwhitj 
will be found to winter well, even in the northern pa' 
of its range. ' j 
Bobwhite is prolific. A pair of birds under favorab 
conditions will raise a dozen young in a season. The:! 
too, it is longlived, for a bird kept in captivity is know 
to have reached the age of nine years. The outlook f( 
the future of the species is most satisfactory, provided ■ 
is given even a small amount of . care, with proper legi 
protection. The Audubon societies, with a membershj 
of 65,(XX) to 76,000. _ which cherish the bobwhite fit 
aesthetic and humanitarian reasons, the sportsman wh 
loves the whirr of its brown wings, and the fatme 
whose enemies it destroys and whose resources it iJ, 
creases, can do much to favor the bird iti its natural et 
vironment and to protect it by adequate and effective 
enforced laws. 
Massachusetts Game* 
Boston, Mass., Oct ^ 28.— Editor Forest and Ftream: ■ 
is a source of gratification tO your correspondent i 
receive _s0 many letters frOhr all parts of the ,.Sta- 
descriptive of the present gaffie cohditionS and offerir 
suggestions for their imprbvement, I cafi but regai 
this as indicative of a Wide-Spread and coristantly ij 
creasing interbst. . : 
Judge Bassett, of Northampton, in a recent letti 
corroborates the testimony of Others by saying th 
there are but few quail, .but ruffed grouse are .“qui 
abundant.” He says while the laws are generally o 
served, yet “there are too many violations.” If a cot 
petent paid warden were employed here, his servic* 
would make both trout and game more abundar 
There would also be an improvement in river fishin 
He expresses the opinion that the same would be tn 
with reference to all sections of the State. Too mai 
ot the lawless feel that they are in no danger 
“being caught.” The opinion of such men as Jud; 
Bassett are entitled to great weight. 
A prominent sportsman of southern Worcester couni 
called at our office this week and reported that with 
friend he got eight birds last Monday — seven grou 
and one woodcock. They could havb killed sever 
more, but concluded they had enough for one da 
This gentleman said he could show any one quite 
number of quail, but not, of course, to shoot befo: 
Nov. I. 
Mr. Vincent, of Cottage City, Writes prospects fi 
quail not good. Trout streams in great need 
stocking. 
Mr. Bamford, writing from Ipswich (Essex countj 
expresses the opinion that there are no quail and b 
few partridges m his vicinity. He believes there 
much Sunday hunting,, but carefully guarded again 
any possible discovery. Most of- the people observe tl 
laws, but there is a class of people who set at defian 
all laws. 
Mr. Coffin, of Gloucester, says, in his opinion, the 
are not two dozen quail in Essex county, but the peop 
are very desirous of buying quail to restock the covei; 
He believes the sale of native game of all kinds shou 
be stopped. He would like to have every other wee 
close time in black ducks, so that they may have ' 
chance to feed and not be kept “on the run” all t 
time. ‘ 
George Emerson, of Franklin, Norfolk county, saj 
owing to the vigilance of Warden Bent,' the laws a 
well observed, but prospects for game birds are poc 
More stocking of streams much needed, and he war 
more planting of quail, “or stop shooting.” 
I learned from the commissioners yesterday that th 
do not think the decision of Judge Avery, of Quincy, 
the case of Mr. Elery Clark, of Cohasset, in accordan, 
with the law, and they have the opinion of the law d 
partment that Mr. Clark violated the law by using 
power boat, and they are proposing to carry the ca 
to a higher court. The case is attracting much z 
tention. and the final outcome will be awaited with- 
good deal of interest by all the hunters of sea fov 
Mr. Clark claimed that his boat being anchored whj 
he killed the bird he was not “pursuing” birds and In 
a right to shoot them from the boat af anchor. The 
are a good many such boats in the towns of the sou 
shore, and, in fact, in all our shore resorts. 
While on their trip to the Maritime Provinces, Coi 
missioners Field and Delano visited several establis! 
ments for the rendering of dog-fish, and the resu.' 
of their investigations will be embodied in. the ne: 
report of the board. , 
Since their return. Deputy Burney has resumed fie' 
work, and has made several arrests for illegal huntin 
and these cases will be heard the coming_ week. M 
Burney informs me that the Sunday prohibition is ' 
unpopular with members of certain clubs, that thi 
will not make any contribution for protection or prop 
gation while it remains on the statute books. He, ho'j 
ever, considers the law a great factor in protecti:i 
game. , 
Men busily employed during the six working da 
claim that Sunday is the only dap they can get c; 
with dog and gun, and that the law favors the men'’ 
wealth and leisure and is a species of class legislatic 
in answer to the question whether the Sunday pt, 
^ibitien b^ptiag shQuld be surrendered to acconim 
