IS 
Ortyx virginianus. 
1875, 
Middlesex County, Mass. 
(Dec,10,) 
Started a bevy of ton by the roadside; they took 
to the Waverly v/oods where they acted very badly, rising 
wild and giving out little if any scent. 
14. 
ft 
Bevy of about tv/enty-five in Belmont in the thick¬ 
ets at the east end of the Willows, Three which we 
killed were the largest birds of this species that I 
have ever seen. All lay very close and all gave out 
scent freely. One sought refuge in a stone wall where 
my setter pointed it; my companion thrust in his arm and 
actually touched the bird before it took v^ing. 
(Junol4 
Unusually abundant, I see or hoar them nearly 
every day. Sometimes the male calls “Bob White* ten or 
twelve times in succession, without the slightest intormi- 
sion betv/een the notes. They are very noisy now and 
their love season apparently at its height; all the fall 
notes also freely used at tihis season. 
1876 
Sept,28 
Two bevies at Concord, the birds in one nearly full 
grovm, those of the other not larger than Song Sparrov^s, 
While driving shortly after sunset, a small bevy of 
Quail crossed the road, flying close past my horses head 
and pitched dov/n altogether in some alders. They were 
evidently flying to roost after their evening feat. 
Started a bevy in the Maple Sv/amp near Block Island. 
Tracked a bevy in the snow in the swamp beyond 
Block Island. They finally separated about oen half 
keeping to the swamp the remainder feeding out into the 
open where I found them. 
Pound three bevies in the Fresh Pond swamps. One 
containing fifteen birds, started in dense cover, flow 
directly out into the open marshes scattering and 
alighting in a scanty fringe of bushes bordering a ditch. 
Here they lay well each bird crouching under the fleecy 
masses of snow which, adhering to every branch and ^veod, 
formed xnumerablo tunnels and arches beneath. I tracked 
several into these hiding places for they usually ran a 
few steps before concealing themselves. It v/as very 
exciting coming up. a d-is-tant 4iiae.fc upon a distinct trakk 
