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FOREST AND STREAM 
July, 1919 
FOREST ^ STREAM 
FORTY-EIGHTH YEAR 
FOUNDERS OF THE AUDUBON SOCIETY 
GOVERNING BOARD: 
GEORGE BIRD GRINNELL, New York, N. Y. 
CARL E. AKELEY, American Museum of Natural History, New York. 
FRANK S. DAGGETT, Museum of Science, Los Angeles, Cal. 
EDMUND HELLER, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D. C. 
C. HART MERRIAM, Biological Survey, Washington, D. C. 
WILFRED H. OSGOOD, Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, 111. 
JOHN M. PHILLIPS, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Pittsburgh, Pa. 
CHARLES SHELDON, Washington, D, C. 
GEORGE SHIRAS, 3rd, Washington, D. C. 
WILLIAM BRUETTE, Editor 
JOHN P. HOLMAN, Associate Editor 
TOM WOOD, Manager 
Nine East Fortieth Street, New York City 
THE OBJECT OF THIS JOURNAL WILL BE TO 
studiously promote a healthful interest in outdoor rec- 
reation, and a refined taste for natural objects. 
August 14, 1873. 
THE CASE OF THE QUAIL 
■y^HAT has become of the quail, or bob-white? It 
^ was a common occurrence last winter to 
hear farmers and sportsmen ask this question. In 
recent months they have seen all too little of this 
once common bird; they have heard all to infre- 
quently the familiar whistling call. It is an actual 
fact that in some places, where at one time these 
birds were plentiful, they are now but rarely found. 
Such is the case throughout many sections of the 
northern and middle-Atlantic states. In the opinion 
of several prominent authorities, the bob-white 
stands in danger of extinction. 
What has become of them ? Two forces have been 
at work against them. Cold, merciless winters — 
sometimes several in succession — have wrought ter- 
rible havoc among their ranks, and reduced their 
numbers to an unbelievable extent, Edward Howe 
Forbush, state ornithologist of Massachusetts, esti- 
mates that during one severe season from 90 to 95 
out of every 100 quail in that state died of starva- 
tion. Local farmers tell us that in numerous places 
last winter (1918) many a covey perished miserably 
of hunger and exposure. But nature, left alone, 
would not destroy them. It has remained for 
thoughtless and unscrupulous hunters to complete 
the damage. We do not refer to the great majority 
of true sportsmen, who are among the birds best 
friends : we refer to men who shoot their game re- 
gardlessly, whether it is scarce or plentiful, and 
take the limit that a lenient law allows. If these two 
forces, the game gluttons in particular, are permitted 
to continue their onslaught unchecked, it is not to 
be doubted that in the course of time the bob-white 
will disappear entirely from our fields. 
How great a loss would result from the extermina- 
tion of this bird can be judged from the following 
testimonial as to its present economic value; for it 
is with the economic value that we are chiefly con- 
cerned. Ernest Harold Baynes, noted writer and 
lecturer on nature subjects, says: 
“Quail and grouse are valuable destroyers of in- 
sects and weed seeds. The former, at least, are 
more valuable alive than dead. They are wonder- 
ful destroyers of potato bugs ; and if encouraged to 
nest in the fields and fence corners, no Paris green 
need be used on the potato crop. On locusts they 
work just as well. Professor Aughey found in the 
stomachs of 21 quail 539 of these insects, an aver- 
age of 25 apiece; and that only part of the day’s 
work. These birds eat also large numbers of chinch 
bugs, cotton worms, cotton boll weevils, cucumber 
beetles. May beetles, leaf beetles, clover beetles, com 
hill bugs, wire worms, cutworms, ants, flies, and 
many other insect pests. And being birds of good 
size, they require large quantities of such food. As 
destroyers of w^eed seeds they rank as high, if not 
higher. Forbush states that they eat the seeds of 
over 60 diflterent kinds of w^eeds. The same author- 
ity tells us that as many as 200 or 300 seeds of 
smartweed, 500 of red sorrel, 700 of three-seeded 
mercury, and 1,000 ragweed have been eaten at a 
single meal. Dr. Judd gives even stronger testimony 
in favor of these birds, when he tells us that 5,000 
seeds of fox tail and 10,000 of pigweed have been 
found in a single bird. He estimates that from June 
1 to August 1, in the two states of Virginia and 
North Carolina alone, bob-whites eat 1341 tons of 
w^eed seeds and 340 tons of insects.” 
“When to all this,” concludes Mr. Baynes, “is 
added the aesthetic value of this gentle bird w’hose 
cheery voice thrills all to whom it is familiar, w’e 
see that to kill a quail and serve it on toast is to 
realize but a very small part of wLat it is really 
worth.” 
It is plainly of vital importance to save this bird ; 
it is equally plain that steps should soon be taken 
to save it, in this part of the country at least. Far- 
mer and sportsman should unite in taking the meas- 
ures necessary for its preservation, the one on ac- 
count of its economic, the other on account of its 
“table” value. 
And what should those measures be? First of all, 
the bob-white should be given adequate legal pro- 
tection. Bag limits should be reduced, and the sea- 
son in many instances closed indefinitely. A few' 
years of absolute protection throughout certain 
counties would undoubtedly go far toward replen- 
ishing our decreasing quail supply. Then, in the 
second place, food and shelter should be provided 
during severe cold spells. An empty barn floor or 
deserted granary may prove to be a haven w'here 
manv a bird can w'eather a stormy winter in safety. 
Mere legal protection is of no avail against the frost 
and blizzard. Our care for this bird must be active 
as w^ell as passive. 
THE FERRET AND THE RABBIT 
■^HE ferret is a descendant of the wdld pole-cat. 
He interbreeds with skunks, and lives in some- 
w^hat the same W'ay. 
The rabbit is a valuable game animal. Because 
of the disappearance of forests, he bids fair to be 
the only game animal for the hunting of the ordinary 
man. The rabbit, according to the latest findings 
of the American Game Protective and Propagation 
Association, does little harm to crops, and no harm 
to trees. He should be preserved for the sport of 
the man who cannot go to the big game districts of 
this country. 
Hunting rabbits with a ferret is exactly the same 
as hunting deer with dogs. Neither deer or rabbit 
