Letter from John T. kmlen, Jr. 4/3/37 
TWAPING 
When I say I've trapped all the quail on the 750-acre University Farm, 
16    that means 105 and, to be exact, there are 3 that I missed. I do not
think 
this was really any better luck than yours, since I started in October and

'   ;1 ~trapped almost continuously for 4 months. I had 10 traps, all of
them 
simple, single-entrance, single-chambered, water-lily-leaf-shaped affairs,

approximately,5'xl' high. These would not hold the birds indefinitely, 
but that was OX.with me, since I was unable to visit the traps more than

3 or 4 times daily and wanted to avoid undue injury. My system was to trap

Cc' fl(      one covey at a time, a complete haul taking about three weeks.
Then I 
would lift zy traps and move them to another covey territory and so on. 
I only had a chance to re-trap on 2 of the 4 territories, but got 
-_c4fairly good observations, weights, etc. on each bird through 3 or 4 repeats

during the 3 weeks' set-up in one locality. Each covey had a distinguishing

color which was indicated on the birds in the attached tail feather. Indi-

vidual marking within the covey was done entirely by colored celluloid 
bandettes (not spirallettes) obtained from the Natio    P   t   Band Co.

These worked out fine and are recognizable at over 100 feet with field glasses.

( Leg band identification would, I believe, be almost impossible except from

" car used as a movable blind. A very much closer approach is possible
in 
" car.) 
My four coveys were marked with white, pigk. y.t1    and green tail 
S, 7    ,L   feathers, respectively. Of these white and yellow (made from
a     ional oo 
Dye) are most permanent. The pink has faded slightly and the gre    i- Ijl

kL4J(  i    t    i   reds and oranges used in combination with the greens
held up quite well. 
I have attached my feathers entirely with D    coceet and have had very 
little trouble with loss of feathers. The feather used is a fairly firm 
chicken rectrix or secondary cut (both ends) to approximately the size of
the 
quail rectrices. In attaching it the proximal end which is shaved off is

inserted not quite to the base of the quail's tail and the distal end 
should not extend beyond the tip of the tail. If the feather is attached

right size up, the natural concavity of the artificial feather fits more
or 
less the convexity of the quail's rectrices. The curling upward idea which

Haywire used on her tree sparrows is of no value and much harder on the 
feather as I see it in the case of game birds. I apply a thin coating of

Duco to both the central rectrix (top side) and the dyed feather ventral

side, spread it with y finger and allow it to dry before applying the 
final coat which attaches the feather to a single (if possible) central 
rectrix for about 1/2 to 2/3 of its length. When more than one feather 
is involted a seesawing motion apparently may result in loosening all the

rectrices and coverts involved. I also clip back the upper coverts which

Lophatyx are very long so as to expose the colored feather to better 
advantage. 
As for bruising, etc., I have had my troubles, probably as great as 
yours but even in one severe case found no loss of weight or apparent 
vitality accompanying it. My worst enemies are cats, which accounted for

10 quail this winter in nm traps. 
I tried one netting trap (one-inch mesh) with a wooden frame and had 
excellent luck and no ground squirrel trouble, this because these animals

were thoroughly poisoned off on this tract last fall. Would suggest that

is your best bet if you want to do it.