The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1906-02-03
THE STORY OF BOB WHITE
FACTS AEOUT AMEEicA'S MOST
POPULAR GAME BIRD.

N'o N''iJ i'aJII!y CHkSi 'l''''@eS@
Though They Might Easily &c Pre-
serVed-They Are Great Allies o
the Farmer-It Would Pay to Rais'
Them.
a little pamphlet just issued by The
Department Of Agricultural 5 Bureau o.
Biological Survey might properly BE-
entitled The Story Of Bob White II
treats Of the quail and was the las
official work Of Prof. Sylvester d
Jadd, an assistant in the bureau WhC
hanged himself a few weeks ago al
his country home near Baltimore
Prof. Judd had been in poor health for
several months and just before his
death had been released from hos
pital in Baltimore, after a course OF
treatment for melanchOlia.
The story Of Bob White is simply
told, as becomes the life Of simple
member OF the quail family. Many in
teresting facts concerning the habits
Of the bird. its usefulness to the farm
er and its popularity on menu cards
are told.
| There are seven members of the
! quail family in the United States. The
most beautiful species occur in the
Southwest and on the Pacific Coast.
OF the seven species only one. the
Bob white tColinus virgin;anus). is in
digenous of the eastern United States,
where it ranges from southern New
England to Florida and Texas. The
sub-specios, 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 oc-
ours, 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 Ari-
IONA. The latter is slatey blush on
the upper parts, which are ornamented
with scale-like markings, and has a
whitish crest.
The most bizarre and curious Of
ALL said Prof. Judd is the Mems
quail OF the high broken plains and
mountain slopes Of southwestern
Texas, southern New Mexico and Ar-
zona.'
1t looks not unlike a little guinea
hen. 1t is the gentlest and most I'M
suspicious of the quail family and is
frequently killed with a stick or a
stone by persons who encounter it in
their walks. The people in the region
which it inhabits have given it the
name Of fool quail on account of this
trait.
The Bob White is the most widely
distributed and popular game bird in
the United States. While it is rapidly
being eNtermirated, its preservation
could be secured very easily. for. I'M
like most wild fowls or animals, it
does not vanish with the growth of ag-
riculture, but increases when not mo-
Tested 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 its characteristics the |
bird differs strikingly from other mem.
oers of the family. For example, the
,rest-a we'll developed adornment of
several closely related American Quails
in Bob White is invisible except
when the bird is excited
The common Bob White ranges
more or less generally over the eastern
lalf of the United States and south
'rn Ontario, except in the colder noun
ainOus parts, from Maine to Florida.
Ind west to South Dakota, Kansas and
Texas. l naddition colonies have been
Introduced and found to thrive in Colo
ado, New Mexico, Titan and the Island
# Jamaica. The bird has also been
ound in limited numbers in Cuba,
Iexico and Guatemala.
I'm the field" said Prof. Judd, "the
luptial call note of the cock bird is
n infallible guide to its identity. This
amiliar challenge, sounding to the
portsmen like Bob White .Bob-Bob-
White and to the farmer like more
vet or no more wet is by no means
he only note of the species during
he breeding season.
1T was the good fortune of the
writer during the last week in June,
9O2, to hear the nesting note and 9TH
r calls. Again and again the cock
eft his distant perch. where he had
cen whistling Bob White and, still