The Farmington times. [volume] (Farmington, Mo.) 1874-1902, 1902-06-12
MUSIC BY THE QUAIL.
TheFc Are Commonly sup
poard 20 ne.

The quail Is not held to be a musicai
bird. yet Il has more notes than the
two which make the ordinary call Of
"3ob White" and which by many PEG.
pie are thought 90 make its entire rep
ertoire. AZ this season. when mating
has begun In the country which IL the
quail's northern limit. Il has all Of It's
calls al command and uses them ell.
II will continue to do so until the
cold days Ui fell have come, when the
bob White" call will be dropped al.
most wholly. u b n very rare thing ia
hear a quail utter these notes after
September, for they form it, spring
call and. 10 . sense. its counting or love
call. saws the New York sun
u Il produced solely by the mail nn6
t. most common just when lnyemnkinR
is general II is an advertisement e
the females that IL uttsrer Is In this
market and g. willing TO GO to house
keeping, at least that he is willing e
marry and permit his wife to build the
house, keep Il aud take care Of the
young.
Later IN the summer the call Is Just
as common: but IL comes then from
males which have faiErrcd one brood
and arc announcing their willingness
20 father another. This call Is made
by a repetition Of the note G of tho
musical scale. the second G being just
an octave higher
The assembly call used at any and
at times, even when the females are
nesting or are mothcring the Young.
consists u iwn uatvz. With an interval
Of third, = and 4, the ? being above
the middle c. as indeed are the two
G's used In the love call There 6 ma
steal comedy on the road named Miss
Bob White" but II h. evident to any
man who has ever sguinied over a
d0uble-harrcl that It's author Is not nc.
quniuted with the ways and minalrelsy
81 Robert White on his native heath.
The male quail Is a purpacious IT..
tie beast, and Its readiness to fight
grows 60 positive arlur In the spring.
time. Even on cold winter days. when
there 81 a light snow falling and the
beyy Is making its way In single file
through some bit 81 underground or
across a field, uttcrance ~ challenge
by one hidden will get all Of the cocks
to dancing about and looking for the
challenger
II IS a souHd impossible to produce
In type, but Is short. soft. stacchto
kissing often repeated. II IL inaudlble
tn the human ear at 30 feet. hut the
quail will hear IL further and two Of
them win often come together across
half an acre 81 thicket In these com
bats there are never. 90 fsras obserya-
tion extends any fatalities. but one of
the warriors being soundly trounced
will fly away when he has more than
enough.
The quail has one other note. which
II uitrrs la fright or warming which
every person who has hunted the birds
has heard. II gives II when running
along the ground ahead IT q dog or
when disturbed by human foot In their
covert. It's a eheeping noise. not un.
like the "peeping" OF very young chick
ems.
The quail Is not a moeking bird or
hermit thrush. and does not pose as
vocalist, yet It's Bob white" call rings
full and true over the greenlng fields
and It, assembly notes are plaintive
aud musical. When the sun Is setting
In summer or fall aad the co-link-co-
Tank Of cowbells comes up the lane, the
plump little Hicr Issues its summons to
the wandering members of the bcvy
and its voice adds homelikeness. com
fort and enjoyment. There are many
country sounds written Of by poets
and essaylsts which are less deserving
than these homely quarter songs.