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The Family of Bobwhite Clarence Hawkes
山齒鶉家族 克拉倫斯·霍克斯
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.
當你讀了這個故事，你會更能體會為什么有那么多人喜愛戶外，研究野生動物。
The Book of Nature is full of interesting facts. Clarence Hawkes here tells about the life of bobwhite, or the quail.
自然之書中有許多有趣的講述，霍克斯向大家講述山齒鶉，或者叫做鶉。
As you will learn, even a harmless bird like bobwhite lives a life of adventure and danger.
你會懂得即使是無害的山齒鶉也會經歷探險般，危險的旅程。
Bobwhite in Springtime
春天的山齒鶉
Bobwhite was not a showy bird, although his suit was neat and quite jaunty.
山齒鶉不引人注目，盡管它是一副玲瓏小巧，活蹦亂跳的樣子。
His back and shoulders were grayish brown, while his undersides were lighter.
它的后背和肩膀是淺灰棕色，下表面的顏色更淺。
The feathers on the top of his head stood up like a small pompadour, and under his throat was a white necktie.
頭上的羽毛像龐帕多發型一樣高聳，喉嚨下面是一條白色的領結。
Such a dress would not attract the eyes of his enemies, hawks, owls, or men.
這樣的裝束是無法吸引天敵老鷹、貓頭鷹或者是人類的注意的。
Bobwhite sat on the top of the gate one spring morning, whistling his merry call,
一個春天的早晨，山齒鶉矗立在門上，輕聲細語地唱著歡樂的曲子，
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.
它每次停止歌唱時都會跳到門欄上，像一只雄火雞一樣趾高氣昂地向前走，向后走。
First he would extend one wing to its full sweep, then the other,
它會首先展開一個翅膀，接著另外一個，
and finally spreading both wings and his funny short tail he would strut up and down as if to say,
之后揮著兩個翅膀，她短小可愛的尾巴會上下撲騰，好似在說，
Now if you want to see a fine bird, just look at me.
如果你想看到一只美麗的小鳥，那就看我吧。
But bobwhite was whistling for something else besides good spirits this morning. He was whistling for a wife.
山齒鶉除了在清晨輕聲歌唱，抖擻精神以外，它還在用歌聲尋找妻子。
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應它的歌聲，哇，哇，哇的聲音非常清晰。
