to the ground and go
galloping away over the rustling leaves. At one place a half dozen
Harris sparrows were chirping loudly and flitting about a couple of
small trees, which were partly covered with a thick network of vines.
The cause of their uneasiness could not be determined, unless it was
their natural fear of the darkness. I waited until night had settled.
Presently the sparrows became quiet. Tramping about near the trees did
not disturb them, but when I flung a lighted stick against one of the
trees, they flew out of their matted bedroom with loud outcries. For a
few minutes they could be seen dashing about from tree to tree; then
they settled down for the night.

[Illustration: Bob-white, or Quail]

In view of the many trials that naturally come into the life of the
birds, we should be all the kinder to them. Why add to their sorrows?
Let me give you an example of humane treatment in one case--that of the
quail or bob-white. Not long ago I listened to a sensible lecturer on
natural history subjects.

He did not say we should never kill the quail. They have evidently
been created for man's use, or they would not have been given such
juicy and nutritious flesh; just as many other fowls and animals were
made to minister to the subsistence and pleasure of the human family.
Besides, there can be no doubt that, if the quail were all permitted to
live and multiply, they would soon become so abundant as to do much
harm in our grain fields. So some of them should be killed, but not in
a cruel manner.

One thing is certain, they should not be killed with shotguns! You ask
at once and in some surprise, Why not? Because that is cruel. Don't
you see how? Well, that is the way with most of us--we do many things
without thinking. It is not cruel to kill quail with a shotgun
providing they are killed outright. But have you never thought how
many of the fine shot must wound some of the birds that fly away? A
bird with several shots in its body may not be fatally hurt at first,
but will fly off and alight somewhere in the bushes where no hunter can
find it. In a few days the wounds grow sore, then gangrene sets in,
and the bird slowly dies in awful torture. No one to help it, no one
even to pity. Is not that cruel?

But how are these birds to be treated? They should be dealt with
kindly, fed in winter, so that they will become comparatively tame,
somewhat like the fowl of the barnyard. Then, in the prope