CALIFORNIA QUAIL

Mrs. Greer, the amiable cook at the Government Camp, probably provides more "hand-outs" per week than the most fortunate of farmer's wives, whose back doors opened conveniently on nearly railroads, ever did. And this on top of a long list of star boarders which, in addition to the crew of hungry workmen, rangers and office employees, includes several deer, elk, bear, rabbits and innumerable Stellar Jays and Camp Robbers that are equally hungry. The motley crew that hits the "back door" at Mrs. Greer's busy kitchen does not consist of seedy tramp but of stray birds and animals from the adjacent forest. And Mrs. Greer diffuses "hand outs" far more cheerfully than any farmer's wife every did. She likes to have these callers who go as silently as they came, sometimes to return again and again, but often stopping only in passing to secure a free meal on their way down the valley.

Recently Mrs. Greer entertained rare visitors. On the heels of three feet of snow which fell soon after the first of November, seven plumed California Quail "dropped in" at the cookhouse and spent Sunday there. This beautiful partridge (Lophortyx Californicus) is native from Oregon to Southern California but years ago it was introduced into Washington and British Columbia where it has thrived on the edge of the moist forests. Few quail are ever seen within the Park. Occasionally on cool summer evenings small flocks are seen picking up weed seeds and insects about the buildings at the Nisqually entrance but that is the closest they have ever been reported to Longmire Springs. For a covy of these quail to spend the day at Longmire, and with three feet of new snow on the ground, is indeed unusual.