ersten eee OsNe DB LULA EDN 37. 
Quail Investigation 
IY iistena of the American Ornithologists’ Union and of the 
Inland Bird Banding Association have been sent copies of a 
reprint of the preliminary report of the Co-operative Quail In- 
vestigation provided by Mr. S. Prentiss Baldwin, of Cleveland, Ohio, 
and written by Herbert L. Stoddard. 
The members of these organizations are especially invited to co-operate 
with the investigation by sending information and suggestions to the 
field headquarters, addressing Co-operative Quail Investigations, Beach- 
ton, Grady County, Ga. 
The present report recites 1n brief the principal findings of the first 
six months’ study—March 17 to September 30, 1924—of the life history 
of the bobwhite in southern Georgia and northern Florida. In the region 
between Thomasville, Ga., and Tallahassee, Fla., are numerous large 
estates, the winter homes of sportsmen, among whom quail shooting is a 
leading recreation. A committee of these sportsmen has made available 
a liberal fund to the U. S. Department of Agriculture for three years, 
with which the Biological Survey is to make a thorough investigation of 
the life history of the bobwhite quail and of all factors affecting its 
abundance. 
One outstanding point in the findings for the first half year is the tre- 
mendous destruction of quail nests and eggs—6o to 75 per cent. It is 
doubtful whether this means that this proportion of pairs is entirely 
prevented from rearing young, but even so it 1s obvious that the number 
of birds produced in the area can be very greatly increased if only a part 
of this nest destruction is prevented. This is certainly a feasible first step 
in augmenting the numbers of quail, and the most urgently needed help 
for the quail so far revealed by the investigation 1s a campaign against 
ground vermin. 
It is confidently expected that numerous interesting and valuable find- 
ings will result from the co-operative quail investigation, which will be 
by far the most complete study ever made of the life history of an 
American bird. E. W. NE.Lson, 
Chief, Bureau of Biological Survey. 
“Puss Preys Upon White House Birds, So Cal Ousts Him”’ 
From Chicago Evening Post, fune 12, 1925 
WASHINGTON, June 12.—(AP)—Blackie, coal-black White House 
cat, has incurred official disfavor and has been shorn of his rank. 
Although fed plenty on choice scraps of food from the President’s table, 
Blackie developed an appetite for birds and squirrels. Lately he has 
