On the Use of Sentinels by Valley Quail
BEFORE taking up the discussion of this question "Do valley quail use sentinels?" I wish to say that although I am seriously inclined to think that quail do use sentinels, yet further observations by others may throw a different light on the subject, so that under these circumstances I prefer to leave the question open.
Should any one feel like taking up the study of birds, his ardor is usually dampened at the outset somewhat by the large amount of time and patience it requires to do so. But should any one be inclined to study valley quail (Lophortyx c. vallicolus) in particular, after the first attempt there is very little inclination left to do so. Out of all of our common birds they are the most easily frightened, "Eternal Vigilance" evidently being their motto, but of all our common birds they are perhaps the most interesting, especially in their habits. The rustling of a dog, the snapping of a twig, or the distant report of a gun, serves equally well to put them An image should appear at this position in the text. on guard or start them on the wing. Even the wavering shadow of a falling leaf has caused them to scurry from me into the nearest bushes. And yet for all that a detailed study of the habits of valley quail will amply repay any time put on it. It was with the intention of fathoming the secretive and (to me) unknown home life of these birds, that I set out in the spring of 1901 for an old brush fence in the foothills of Placer county. There I felt sure of a large flock of quail, and in fact it was my favorite retreat for the study of a number of birds. As a good deal of what follows is dependent upon a thorough knowledge of the location, I have given in the sketch a general idea of the spot. BF represents the brush fence cut in two by a wide irrigation ditch, DD. At A on the lower bank of the ditch, among some shrubbery screening me from view partially, I chose my hiding place, getting,into as good and comfortable a position as possible, for once I got settled I knew it was for an hour or more and half of that time I would have to be absolutely motionless. No note book was needed, and all the notes I took would have to be taken in my head, for a true valley quail dislikes the publicity of a written interview and despises reporters.
Soon from the hillside above the brush fence, I heard their call notes, coming nearer and nearer and answered from different points on the hillside, indicating that the clan was gathering for its feed in the old apple orchard at O in the sketch. Suddenly after some little quietness one of them appeared at F and ran rapldly to the point marked S where he flew up onto the lowest branch of a dead peach tree.
I began to get interested and put the glass on him, although he was only about ninety feet from me. He was thoroughly alert and business-like and was scrutinizing his surroundings as minutely as a nuthatch would the bark of a tree.
