When you have read this story, you will understand better why so many people love the out-of-doors and the study of wild life. 当你读了这个故事，你会更能体会为什么有那么多人喜爱户外，研究野生动物。

　　The Book of Nature is full of interesting facts. Clarence Hawkes here tells about the life of bobwhite, or the quail. 自然之书中有许多有趣的讲述，霍克斯向大家讲述山齿鹑，或者叫做鹑。

　　As you will learn, even a harmless bird like bobwhite lives a life of adventure and danger. 你会懂得即使是无害的山齿鹑也会经历探险般，危险的旅程。

　　Bobwhite in Springtime 春天的山齿鹑

　　Bobwhite was not a showy bird, although his suit was neat and quite jaunty. 山齿鹑不引人注目，尽管它是一副玲珑小巧，活蹦乱跳的样子。

　　His back and shoulders were grayish brown, while his undersides were lighter. 它的后背和肩膀是浅灰棕色，下表面的颜色更浅。

　　The feathers on the top of his head stood up like a small pompadour, and under his throat was a white necktie. 头上的羽毛像庞帕多发型一样高耸，喉咙下面是一条白色的领结。

　　Such a dress would not attract the eyes of his enemies, hawks, owls, or men. 这样的装束是无法吸引天敌老鹰、猫头鹰或者是人类的注意的。

　　Bobwhite sat on the top of the gate one spring morning, whistling his merry call, 一个春天的早晨，山齿鹑矗立在门上，轻声细语地唱着欢乐的曲子，

　　bobwhite, bob, bob-bob-white, bobwhite, bob, bob-white. 布谷布谷，布谷布谷，布谷布谷，布谷。

　　Each time when he stopped whistling he hopped down on the top bar of the gateway and strutted back and forth like a turkey cock. 它每次停止歌唱时都会跳到门栏上，像一只雄火鸡一样趾高气昂地向前走，向后走。

　　First he would extend one wing to its full sweep, then the other, 它会首先展开一个翅膀，接着另外一个，

　　and finally spreading both wings and his funny short tail he would strut up and down as if to say, 之后挥着两个翅膀，她短小可爱的尾巴会上下扑腾，好似在说，

　　Now if you want to see a fine bird, just look at me. 如果你想看到一只美丽的小鸟，那就看我吧。

　　But bobwhite was whistling for something else besides good spirits this morning. He was whistling for a wife. 山齿鹑除了在清晨轻声歌唱，抖擞精神以外，它还在用歌声寻找妻子。

　　Presently down across the fields as though in answer to his calling came a clear white, white, white. 在下面的田野中好似有人在回应它的歌声，哇，哇，哇的声音非常清晰。