The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1906-06-07
AMERICA 5 GAME BIRD
Quail Being Rapidly Extermi-
mated Might be Preserved.
ALLIES OF THE FARMER.
Seven Members of This Family in
the United States-Most Beauti.
full Species Found on Pacific
Coast-Christened Bob White
from Familiar Call Note of Birds.

SVdSt-Sit III tStCuCO 0oU Vii'tS
from Familiar Call Note of Birds.
Of the seven species of quail only.
one, the Bob White (Colinus virgin
ianus) is Indigenous to the eastern
United states, where it ranges from
southern New England to Florida and
Texas. The sub-species, the Florida
Bob White and the Texas Bob White,
are recognized by scientists.
Owing TO the climatic influences, the
birds OF Florida and Of Texas differ
enough to be distinguished as geo.
graphic races. But wherever it occurs,
the Bob White has the same call and
varies little in habits.
The Bob White proper is a hand
some bird, but is the plainest Of the
seven species, with the exception OF
the cotton top or scaled quail of the
deserts Of southern Texas and Arl-
IONA The latter is slatey blush on
the upper parts, which are ornament
ed with white markings, and has a
Whitish crest.
The most bizarre and curious OF
ALL said Prof. Judd of the Depart
nent of Agriculture, is the Merns
quail Of the high broken plains and
mountain slopes of southern Texas,
southern New Mexico and Arizona
1t looks not unlike a little guinea
hen. 1t is the gentlest and most un-
suspicious OF the quail family and is
frequently killed with a stick or
stone by persons who encounter it in
their walks. The people in the region
which it inhabits have given it the
trait.
The Bob White is the most widely
distributed and popular game bird in
the United States. While it is rapidly
being exterminated, it's preservation
could be secured very easily, for I'M
like most wild fowls or animals, IL
does not vanish with the growth OF
agriculture, but increases when not
molested by hunters.
The Bob White is called a quail in
the Northern, Western and Middle
States, while in the Southern States
it is known as a partridge. Both
names were brought to America by
English colonists. The name Bob
White is from the familiar call note
OF the bird.
In some of it's characteristics the
bird differs strikingly from other
members of the family For exam
pie, the crest-a we'll developed adorn-
nlent of several closely related Ameri-
can Quails-in Bob White is invisible
Except when the bird is excited
The common Bob White ranges more
or less generally over the eastern half
CT the United States and Southern On
tario, except in the colder mountain
Gus parts, from Maine to Florida, and
west to South Dakota, Kansas and
Texas. In addition colonies have beer
introduced and found to thrive in Col
orado, New Mexico, Utah and the is
land Of Jamaica. The bird has also
been found in limited numbers IN
Cuba, Mexico and Guatemala.
I'm the field" said Prof. Judd, 1.-The
ruptial call note of the cock bird is
an infallible guide to it's identity. This
familiar challenge, sounding to the
sportsman like Bob White Bob-Bob-
White, and to the farmer like more
wet or no more wet is by 10 means
the only note of the species during
the breeding season
When within fifty yards of his
mate he utters the rally note, SO thrill
ing to the sportsmen in the fall 'lxa-
loi-kee, which the hen often an
swers with single clear whistle
There is a tendency among Bob
Whites toward local migration In
Virginia and Maryland particularly
they leave their summer homes on the
approach of winter and congregate
near the large water courses.
The Bob White as an ally of the
farmer is chiefly valuable as a de-
stroyer of weed seeds. Prof. JUDD
made an estimate OF what the BOP
White would accomplish in this line
for the farmers of the two States Of
Virginia and North Carolina from the
beginning of September to the end of
April.
He allowed four Bob Whites to each
square mile Of land, which is a low
estimate, and would give 354,S2O in
the two States. The crop of each bird
holds half an ounce of seed and is
filed twice a day.
Since at each of the two daily meals
weed seeds constitute at least half the
contents Of the crop half ounce daily
is thus consumed by each bird and
on this basis the total consumption of
seed in the two States covering the
period mentioned would amount to
1,341 tons. A similar calculation shows
that $40 tons of destructive insects
would be consumed by the birds in the
same period. The Bob White eats the
Rocky Mountain locust, the chfnch
bug. the potato beetle the cotton boil