The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-08-06
Migratory Quail.

Some months since, Judge Martin q. |
Everts OF this town imported from Italy
one hundred pairs of migratory quail. A
Rutland correspondent of the Forest and
Stream gives the following interesting facts
regarding Judge Everl's experiment
1.-THE birds were turned down IN quiet,
retired place near Rutland on the 18th
of June last. 1t seemed that they immedi-
ately scattered and paired, for we heard Of
them within a week miles away and always
in pairs. The farmers took great interest
in the matter Gas most OF them do In mat
tiers pertaining to the prop agation and pre-
servation of fish and game), and kept US
fully posted as to their observations. On
the 7th of July we were cheered by the re-
port of the discovery of the first nest, and
straightway his Honor Judge Everts, leav-
ing bench, bar and jury to their own de-
vices, hled himself away to become satisfied
that the good news was true; and 1t was
true. There, in the midst OF bushes, placed
about it by the merciful farmer, after hav-
ing unwittngly almost destroyed it, was
the nest and the mother bird, sitting on
thirteen eggs. The experiment then is 30
far success this much is proved. The
birds can be had, they b NJ confinement and
transportation worde, lily well, and they
are breeding here. II ret remains to see
whether, like the SAL J, they will return
to the place where IL Y were bred. In ap-
peaiance these birds resemble our own quail
TO striking extent. They are not, how
ever, as large, although at the time we had
the best opportunity to observe them.
While they were in the cage they did not,
of course, show at their best, worn as they
were by long confinement. Neither are
they, as l judge, as strong on the wing,
although it will require keen eye
and ready fpger to bring them down.
They have not the pleasant, CHEEKY
call Of our own 81 Bob White"
their note more nearly resembling the
"phweet" of the young of the ruffed
grouse. In the matter of food they seem
to be omnivorous, eating with equal relish
small grain, berries or insects. In plum
age, color, etc., tley 80 nearly resemble
our native quail that our fear is that sports
men in the southern states may, without
soon enough noticing the difference, kill
some of them during the winter. Win
| you not, Mr.. editor, caution southern
| sportsmen on this pointS 1t would be a
| great pity If any OF these birds should come
| to grief by any such mistake. Now for the
cost of all this, for we hope that others
will wish to try this for themselves. As
soon as it became known that Judge Everts
had determined to make this venture alone
Che would say play it alone'-such IL the
force OF habiD, meeting of the club was
called, and 1t Yves solemnly decided to de-
vote the entire capital of the fur company
to this most worthy object; and II that
should be found insufficient, as we suppos-
ed 1t would be, that the members should be
assessed for at least portion of the addi-
tlonal sum required but behold, when the
bill came, it amounted to the sum of ninety
one and onc-half livre, which being inter-
pretcd means $40 SO, to which add for
transportation, stewards fee for care on
shipboard. food, etc., $l8 A. and you have
$35 80, or about IS cents per head actual
ly less than we can get the dead birds Tor
from Chicago, and the fur company still
have money in the treasury.
Now If any person or clubs desire to en-
bark in a like enterpnse-and hope
many will should advise them to nego-
tiate with Mr.. d. Ronauno of Messina,
Sicily. Arrangements for shipments to
the northern states should be made as early
as Jan. 1, in order to make sure of the
birds before they have passed to the north
ward on their migrations."