Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1906-01-11
The Story Of Bob White.

A little pamphlet just issued by the
Department of Agriculture's Bureau
of Biological Survey might properly
be entitled "The Story of Bob White. y
1t treats Of the quail and was the last
official work of Prof. Sylvester D.
Judd, an assistant in the bureau, who
hanged himself few weeks ago in his
country home, near Baltimore, says
the New York Sun. Professor Judd
had been in poor health for several
months.
The story of Bob White is simply
told, as becomes the life of a simple
member of the quail family. Many
interesting facts concerning the hab-
it's of the bird, its usefulness to the
farmer 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 (Colinus VirgiDianus), 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 recog-
nized 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 he is the plainest of
the seven species, with the exception
of the cotton-top or scaled quail Of
the deserts of Southern Texas and
Arizona. The latter is slatey-bluish
on the upper parts, which are orna-
mented with scale-like markings, and
has a whitish crest.
"The most bizarre and curious Of
all, said Professor Judd, is the Merns
quail of the high broken plains and
mountain slopes Of Southwestern Tex
as, Southern New Mexico and Arizo-
ma"
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 stick or
stone by persons who encounter it in
their walks. The people in the region
which it inhabits have given 1t 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 rapid
ly being exterminated, its preserva-
ton could be secured very easily, for,
unlike most wild fowls or animals, it
does not vanish with the growth of
agriculture, but increases when not
molested by hunters.
The Bob White is called quail IN
the Northern, Western and Middle
States, while in the Southern it is
known as 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
members of the family. For exam
pie, the crest-a well-developed adorn-
ment of several closely related Amer
lean quails-in Bob White is invisible
except when the bird is excited"
The common Bob White ranges
more or less generally over the east
ern half of the United States and
Southern Ontario, exceptin the colder
mountainous parts, from Maine to
Florida, and west to South Dakota,
Kansas and Texas. In addition colo
MES have been introduced and found
to thrive in Colorado, New Mexico,
Utah and the Island of Jamaica. The
bird has also been found in limited
numbers in Cuba, Mexico and Guat-
emala.
"In the field" said Professor Judd,
"the nuptial call note of the cock bird
is an infallible guide to it's identity.
This familiar challenge, sounding to
the sportsmen like Bob White, Bob
Bob White. and to the farmer like
ismore wet or mo more wet, is by no