Sept, 28, 1907.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
517 


MISSOURI GAME BIRDS. 
THE QUAIL, 
the last report to the Governor of Missouri by 
[From 
| Game Warden Rhodes. ] 
By common consent the quail, as the bird is 
imost generally known, is the chief remaining 
game bird in the State of Missouri. Its table 
qualities are universally approved, appreciated 
land extolled, and it is, indeed, a great delicacy. 
It is distinctly a bird of civilization, and, if pro- 
tected, flourishes in great numbers in thickly 
populated portions of the country. There has 
been some confusion among ornithologists about 
the proper name of this bird, it being variously 
designated as the “quail,” the “partridge” and 
the “Bob White.” 
In the northern States the ruffed grouse— 
known to us as the native wild or drumming 
ipheasant—is designated as the “partridge,” and 
in all places where the pheasant is known as 
the partridge the “Bob White” is designated as 
the “quail,” and wherever the ruffed grouse is 
called the “pheasant”? the “Bob White” is known 
as the “partridge.” Strictly, ornithologically 
speaking, our variety of this bird is neither the 
quail nor the partridge, and ornithologists have 
‘suggested the name of “Bob White” as an ap- 
propriate name for our bird on account of its 
peculiar note, resembling “Ah Bob White,” or 
“Old Bob White,” but, by common consent, this 
bird is becoming to be known and termed the 
quail, and it is generally so spoken of and desig- 
nated by the State laws protecting these birds. 
The scientific name for our variety of the 
bird, the “Bob White,” is the Colinus virgin- 
janus. This bird abounds in the eastern part 
of the United States to the central plains of 
the west, and reaches both north and south. 
\However, there is a marked difference between 
the northern and southern bird. The northern 
\birds are larger and lighter in color. The south- 
ern birds have more black on their heads, wings 
land backs. Texas has a smaller and more 
jgrayish variety, and they have been classed as 
ja separate species. 
The bird lays from ten to eighteen eggs, and 
|when undisturbed becomes very gentle, feeding 
land rearing in orchards and nearby meadows, 
land often in the winter approaching the barn 
yards and tenant houses in search of food. The 
limpression prevails from the fact that these birds 
jare often found with very young broods very 
llate in the season that they often rear two 
broods. Such, however, is not the fact, except, 
perhaps, where the nest of the bird is through 
some accident broken up, or the first brood is 
lost when quite young. In such instances it is 
lbelieved that the birds will re-nest, in which 
levent the broods are generally very late. 
| Contrary to general opinion, our bird is not 
ijregarded as migratory in its habits. They, how- 
ever, often change locations of a mile or two 
lin the fall when in search of food and cover for 
protection against severe winters. The birds 
roost upon the ground, and almost invariably, 
about night-fall, fly from a short distance to 
their roosting grounds to prevent being trailed 
by nocturnal animals. They alight in a very 
|compact bunch and nestle closely together in a 
lcircular form, with their heads turned outward, 
lso that each bird is a sentinel against the ap- 
iproaches from carnivorous animals, such as 
|foxes, minks, cats and weasels. When roosting 
lin this position each bird has free use of its 
jwings, and may safely fly without interference 
from the wings of the others of the brood. 
It is the universal custom of these birds to 
whistle a few notes just at daybreak, and the 
hunter, by rising very early, can practically deter- 
mine how many coveys of the birds there are 
in a certain area by listening for their morning 
notes. Experienced hunters have learned this 
fact, and often get to their shooting grounds 
very early, and by this means determine how 
nany coveys are located on their hunting grounds. 
The bird is easily trapped and netted, and whole 
flocks can be exterminated by the use of quail 
nets, with short wings extending out in “V’- 
shape from either side of the barrel of the net, 
into which the birds are easily driven upon a 
damp or cloudy day. 
Quail often perish in large numbers during 



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The Winning Score in 
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broke 93 out of 100 from 18 yards, but who was not eligible to win the trophy 
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The Mecklenburg Hotel and 
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Located on Southern Railway, 3 hours from Richmond, 
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NEWFOUNDLAND 
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Excellent 
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ead River, Maine. 
Moundsville, W. Va. 
BOX 1025. 
GUN CO., 
| DUCKS, SNIPE, QUAIL AND 
RABBIT ON LONG ISLAND. 
Live duck decoys. License to gun on club grounds. 
Good accommodations. Write for dates. G. CARY 
SMITH, Center Moriches, L. I 
SHOOTING. 
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We will insert your Hotel or Camp advertisement 
in a space of this size (one inch) at the following 
rates: One time, $2.10; three months (13 insertions), 
$18.20; six months (26 insertions), $35.00; one year 
(52 insertions), $60. 
FOREST AND STREAM, NEW YORK. 


Uncle Lisha’s Outing. 
A sequel to “Danvis Folks.” By Rowland E. Robin- 
son. Cloth. Price, $1.25. 
FOREST AND STREAM PUBLISHING CO. 


