The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-03-03
ODD STORIES ABOUT BIRDS.
Where wild Ducks Come when You whistle
a Novel breed or QuaiIs.

Where wild Ducks Como when You whistle
A Novel Breed or QuaiIs.
An amateur naturalist. who returned from q
trip South the other day. in relating his expert
ences to q reporter. said that two of his obscrva-
tions seemed to be of q nature to interest tho
readers of THE SUN.
"One was a now or rather a hybrid breed Of
quails." he said. I'm tho southern part Of
South Carolina and about forty miles north Of
Savannah lies an unfenced tract of land, &c. 900
acres in extent, that has been turned into a
game preserve by a lot Of s%portsmen, of whom
the majority arc citizens Of New York. They
found there a breed of birds known as the
Florida quails. They were a smallish bird that
would get up before the dog to a height Of six or
eight feet and then fly away in q line as straight
as . stretched string. 1t was as easy to kill
them right and loft as to pot a chicken. They
were = very nice bird on the table-all that any
one could ask for. in fact; but tao case and GER
tainty with which they were killed made them
undesirable In the eyes of tho club men.
"Now the Virginia quail, as all gunners know.
parts of the State. where they are shot regularly
every season. Whom they get up they may rise
they 70 t'' Ike II bullet tro sn's a yrii a,.a . To- Knox amSs
down q couple OF them-that's sport. So tho
club men determined to stock their preserve
perhaps thousands. wero brought down and
turned loose,
although the Virginia bird is larger than his
Florida cousin. he took kindly TO the society OF
inc little ons-in fact, married her and raised 4
mother was. as said. unsurpassed OH the table.
tiles. The Virginia father bird was a bullet in
the air, and the hyb:ids have inherited his
not so large ms the Virginia bird, but where he
neu wlth a whir they disappear with a zip.
,o nNe1 1t 70 S the hybrid oa"ils in interest are are
hotel built on piles that are dressed in sewer:
shooting is allowed around the grounds, or he
piers, and, or course. not q little stun Is thrown
cans, and gulls. Accordingly these birds come
about the hotel in focks. and not only are they
S Mitao Is.r fear %, OF 1.-THE the people there ere. bn, 'nss
whistles for them as If for a dog.
At first i seems as il the birds come as road.
the fact is that two or l!lrcc people about no
hotel are on speaking terms with them; The
f4isna f1o With 1ht tEo nSice (, and a% o S5I b B3Sin isnS Sfny
stage the pelicans gather IL dozen AT "A time, AID
sitting there in the sun preen their feathers nGd
looking bills. The fact That a lot Of peg.
pie are standing six feet away 10 IN
uamanherly, fellows pokes Them With a
cane. In that event the bird gives tho IN;
trgasr a white,eyed look q establishment ana
delicate as To make one wonder where in inc
world such an ungainly bird, got It. Then 10
disturbed the pclieans often pillow their h.tds
on their backs and take a nap. but in that posi-
tion they arc. quickly observed by the to ri-i,
who thinks tits fun to make trouble for quiet
folks, and they are quickly SHARED by n chHo'
crook and sent Tapping TO the water.
only the smaller ducks come about the hotel,
but they are exceedingly beautiful and graceful
IN their m~oyements, while the gulls in thelr
has tried to teach the birds To come TO hand for
food. It is said. but 1t Is plain that any ono with
knowled &c and tact and love might c~staNl'.. IN
write a most Interesting story about our fcalh'