“SONG BIRDS” 
163 
It is the hoodlums who tramp over their fields with¬ 
out showing proper respect for the owner’s rights. 
Some fanatical bird fanciers tell the farmer that 
the quail is such a wonderful bug eater that it 
should be permanently protected against the sports¬ 
man’s gun. The farmer likes to believe this, for if 
it is true 7 then he can get rid of the bugs and the 
hoodlums by taking away from the shooters the 
incentive to go on his land for birds. 
The farmer can make for himself an asset out 
of the quail on his farm and get rid of the hood¬ 
lums at the same time. But we must first convince 
him that quail will not multiply by the mere process 
of protection. 
The honest naturalist and almost any sportsman 
can demonstrate the fact that the number of ob¬ 
noxious bugs and weeds that the quail eats is a 
negligible quantity that has no perceptible effect on 
future crop of either. Quail like good grain food, 
although they will eat a little weed seed and pick up 
an occasional bug. 
Instead of being deceived about the quail’s value 
as a bug eater, let the farmer rather make of this 
bird an asset, by paying a little attention to his 
propagation and protection. Then he will have more 
birds on his farm to eat bugs and weed seed, and 
will have something that will bring him a little rev¬ 
enue. He will have a shooting privilege for sale. 
