The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1891-09-18
QUAIL IN CAPTIVITY.
YOUNG BIRDS MATCHED AND RAISED
IN PHILADELPHIA.

Manages--His Food IL Secret.
It is a fact we'll known to naturalists
that animals are much easier to tame
than birds. That is to say, mammalia
are more fit to undergo the conditions OF
captivity than the winged and feathered
tribes. The result Is that the habits OF
many Of the most common and interest
Ing birds are practically unknown. The
reason is that the bird requires more
freedom and air than four footed crea-
lures.
Among the birds which are rarely seen
In captivity, although the species Is ex-
tremely common, is the quail, the popu-
lar American Bob White. Although
frequent attempts have been made to
raise them as other poultry, they have
generally been unsuccessful. Game pre-
servers have kept quail under the most
favorable conditions, and have induced
the wary birds to lay eggs and to hatch
their young, but they can do no more.
When once Matched, the chicks die. The
conclusion, therefore, has been reached
that the feeding of quail is not properly
understood.
These facts being generally recognized,
it may be matter of surprise to many
to learn that Philadelphia has for the
past three years been successful in hatch
ing out and raising quail. Most men
have their hobbies. and the rearing Of
quail is Mr.. Harry Rudolph's pet amuse-
ment. It is such an original hobby that
it may well be asked how he acquired
such an idea. Mr.. Rudolph is thor
ough sportsman, and, to quote his own
words, would rather gun than eat"
Quail and pheasant shooting is his de-
light, and he confesses that he always
had fancy for the game little Bob
White. About three years ago he was
given brace Of live quail while gun
ming at Newkirk station, in New Jersey.
These were the nucleus Of his present
stock. He brought them to his home,
and fitted up a cage for them in his little
back lot.
HOW HE STARTED.
He gradually acquired few other
birds, which paired off and commenced
to lay and hatch eggs during the sum-
mer. The small ones were successfully
Matched out, but died very shortly after.
Mr.. Rudolph determined to discover the
cause of their early demise, and, know
ing it must be lack Of proper food, de-
termined to watch the habits of the old
or birds and experiment upon them with
varieties of grain and insect food.
In spite Of the amusement Of his
friends, who considered his attempt i'm
possible, Mr.. Rudolph set to work in
earnest to raise quail, and, after numer-
GUS failures, was able, in his second year,
to successfully hatch and raise brood
of quail. He had hit upon the right
method Of feeding them, and the young
birds were as strong and healthy asifborn
under nathrul conditions. Since 9laen !
he reckonssthat 65 per cent. Of his young
birds have been successfully brought to
maturity. AS statistics show that hard
ly so per cent. of wild game birds attain
their full size, owing to the number Of
their natural foes, such as hawks and
vermin, this is an extremely good rec
ord.
In a small yard, scarcely twenty feet
square, Mr.. Rudolph keeps his pets.
The Enclosure is shut in on three sides
by wooden fence, and on the fourth by
the rear wall of the house. Around the
borders are beds Of geranium and small
shrubs. In the center is patch Of
grass, with tall plant in the middle
On one side Of the lot are the cages, in
which three brace are paired off in sep
arate coops.
RAISING QUAIL.
In the fourth cage is lonely and dis
consulate hen, while running loose about
the yard are two cocks and hen with
three chicks. The latter are remark
able brood. They were Matched, with
five others, on the 9Th Of July, which is
nearly one month ahead Of the breeding
season. The defunct ones were killed by
the Indictment weather or some other |
cause common to infant quail, but the
survivors remain perfectly healthy.
When the next brood is born, the
chicks loose in the yard, together with
the parent birds, will be shut up to make
room for the newcomers. Owing to the
extreme pugnacity Of the cocks it is i'm
possible to let more than one pair loose
at time, or the lives of the birds would
be endangered. The pairing off of two
cocks with one hen, although rare, is oc-
casionally found. The two male birds
who champion the little mother hen live
in peace and harmony, and both work
together at making the nests and take
their turn in sitting on the eggs.
The principal food which Mr.. Rudolph
gives to his pets is grain; grasshoppers
llso form part of their dietary. But the
Iecret by which he manages to raise the
young Mr.. Rudolph refuses to reveal.
ae says that it is something natural to
he birds in wild life, but beyond that
10 will not commit himself. The quail
no very fond Of hempseed. but they get
% fat on it that it, value ~ wholesome
God ID very small. Il would soon hill
hem of. Il Is useful however, in feed
No hens which have been sitting In or
y to bring them back to their proper
'tion. Philadelphia Ledger.