Page:Bird-lore Vol 06.djvu/232

 Some Familiar Florida Birds 18‘;

in his gorgeous coat ol red. blue. lemon and hlaekt :\ ivnir (ll Quail made us almost daily visits lor several winters. and frequentlv snt upun some rustic chairs which adorned our lawn. This (low environment ol these exceed- ingly sh_v birds made known to us several eharaeteristics oi the species which are not. 1 think, generallv known. One day. the cock stalked inquiringly into the grounds. and soon came upon the food WlliL‘h I had just scattered about, At once he hegan to pick it up with great gusto.

FEMALE RHLEEIJJFK) “'UUDPECKHK

when suddenly he stopped and stood erect. Then. looking about hnn. he saw an oak tree which had been bent over by heavy winds at quite an acute angle Running rapidlv to the foot of this tree. he walked up the inclined trunk. until he was at least ten leer from the ground. There he stopped. and uttered a very peculiar whistle. [t was not the lm/J-w/nlr with ascanding accent. but the white alone. the accent Sharply descending. A party of friends sat with me on one of the verandas, and. as we watched him. we wondered what would happen next. He repeated the call several times. when suddenly there was a whirr and :t rustle of leaves. as his mate. on the wing. shot in through some Oleander and guava bushes. and landedv with a hit of a run, righ't upon the scattered food. and at once began eating