Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-10

that the instinct of seif-preservation has
become more acuteiy developed than it
formerly was. Hunters whose expert
ence goes back a number of years can
but observe that even at the very Open
ing of the season coveys when flushed
make longer flights and seek on the first
rise the most dense and inaccessible cover
in reach. and rarely alight I'm open fields.
The OLD practice of esterminating CONeNs
IS not nearly common it formerly
was and this owing To the instinct OF
the birds rather than To any sportsman
like promptings Of the hunter The
writer knows Of one covey near Wash
ington that has heen flushed three times.
and although they have been followed BY
good dogs. not one has been killed on the
second rise. This from no fault of the
dogs but from the long flights of the
birds and the dense cover in which they
aliSht.
Gen. Johnston. District Commissioner,
and his brother-in-law, Mr.. Nandergrift.
spent Wednesday al Occoquan shooting
over the latter's fine pair of settlers. Re-
suits not known.
Justice Daniel Thew Wright of the Su-
prenle Court of the District is All en-
thusiastic duck hunter. and whenever he
can secure a day off he tries his luck in
the river. and usually. according To re-
port, has something To show for il.
One wonders where all the rabbits come
from and also where they go to. Several
years ago the writer was in 81 Louis and
saw some men opening the doors OF an
ordinary box car i'm front of commits
sion house. When il was opened to his
establishment he saw that il loaded
TO the limit with rabbits. And one Of the
men told him the next to il was also
full of them. They were shipped from
Kansas.
There are not many localities where a
sportsman is almost certain Of haSEln,
IL
ing. bUt the section along the Rio Grande
west Of Del Rio, Tex is one Of
them The most numerous species Il tne
blue topknot. or California quail They
get together in large fiockS. fifty and more
being frequently seen. They do not lie
well for a dog, and resemble a flock OF
guinea fowls in the noise they make when
running. After the fiocks are thoroughly
scattered some good single bird shooting
may be had. The next in point Of num-
bers is a small quail. not much more than
half large as our bobwhite he
writer does not know the scientific nam"
Of this species. but they are simply SI'ok-
on of as quail out there. They abound
i'm great numbers along tho irrigsting
bitches around Del Rio and lie perfectly
for a dog: too well. in fact Then comes
what is 10 ally known ~ the fool" quail.
and IL deserves the name. 1t IL also
known a. the MesSina and the Mexican
quail. The male OF this species Is
beautiful bird. far richer in plumase than
a drab ground with some black markings.
The breast feathers are a lustrous black.
while those on the legs are rich red
brown. The females are smaller than the
male and their color is sober drab with
black shadings. The writer has seldom
seen over ten in a covey- Their fight -
rather puzZling at first and Is very short.
No matter how bare the ground Is, they
never run after aliShting. and they
stick to the open country ii is no trouble
to XIII an entire covey. They will hide in
a bunch of grass foot square and have
to be kicked up. and the writer has ou
numerous occasions seen bird dogs first
point and then jump them ami catch
them The writer recently saw several OF
these quail in the bird house at the Zoo.
Denton Munford recently returned from
an enjoyable and successful hunt in Caro-
line county, Va. He killed birds enough
to bring home the legal limit of nifty
quail The party also bagged a num-
Der OF woodcock. and three wild turkeys.
Munford is sportsman enough not 10 re-
port rabbits. He recently traded his set
ter dog Lord Buckingham to Tom Bald
win for very promising young setter.
which is doing fine field work.
Joseph Letter is not only good trap
shot, as his scores often show, but II is
said he can hold his own in the field
against the best shots, and he loves the
sport we'll enough to keep in practice
He has number of good dogs.
a correspondent sends in report of an
unique hunt I'm the vicinity of Fort Foote.
Md. Two recently married couples i'm
cited party to join in hunting trip.
which was fairly successful supplying
game enough for a tine supper given the
party by Mrs. Rupert, who is herself an
expert field shot, and handles her twenty
gauge Parker with deadly accuracy.
Phil Stubener came up with his auto
full OF game dogs. and after supper a
coon and possum hunt was proposed
About 10 O'Clock the ladies became tired
and started for home When they reach
ed there they found to their horror that
the house was securely locked and bar
red and those hateful men had the KEYS
Now there was pane of glass out of
one of the windows, and il was suggested
that one of the ladies climb through il
No sooner said than-tried. Now whether
the window was too narrow or the
climber too broad. deponent knoweth not,
hut she became fastened. and il was
necessary To fire fusillade Of shots To re-
call the men TO relieve the situation
But not another word from us-ask Phil
Stubener for the rest OF the story.