The Scottish Naturalist. 143 



with black and white wings measuring seven feet from tip to tip ; 

 by which he undoubtedly means the White Stork, the innumer- 

 able flights of which literally darkened the sky, he states, 

 when camping near the Wady Huderah (Sinai and Palestine, p. 

 82). And Dr. Tristram goes on to to say what is undoubtedly 

 true that vast flocks of all these three species of birds 

 do visit the Sinaitic desert at the time of migration ; and 

 I have also seen the Black Stork in almost as large numbers 

 in the desert ; while the Dean suggests the possibility of the 

 Stork, on account of its standing three feet high, and thus 

 explaining the statement of their being two cubits from the 

 ground.* But besides the fact that the flesh of these birds is 

 abominable for food, while the Sand-Grouse is very dry and 

 hard, and could scarcely have satisfied the hungry people, we 

 have the clear proof of the identity of the Common Quail with 

 the Hebrew " Selav " in its Arabic name " Salwa " from a root 

 signifying " to be fat " — very descriptive of the round, plump 

 form and fat flesh of the Quail. The expression "as it were 

 two cubits high upon the face of the earth " probably refers to 

 the height at which the Quails fly above the ground. At all 

 times its flight is very low, just skimming the surface of the 

 ground, and especially when fatigued it keeps close, never 

 towering like the Partridge or Sand-Grouse. And again we 

 read that the wind brought them up from the sea, and that 

 keeping close to the ground they fell thick as rain about the 

 camp — (in the month of April according to our calculations). 

 Thus the miracle consisted in the supply being brought to the 

 tents of Israel by special guidance, in exact harmony with the 

 known habits of the bird. All birds, especially the short 

 winged ones, are more or less fat during the periods of their 

 migrations ; a wise provision of nature to support these frail 

 creatures, who without sleep, and often without food, are enabled 

 to endure the greatest fatigues ; the fat nourishing the body and 

 becoming gradually absorbed in the system, so that by the time 

 the journey is completed they have been found to be in the poorest 

 condition. This I have particularly noticed in the Woodcock 

 on their first arrival to their winter quarters in Albania and 

 other southern parts of Europe. As to the Quail I have often 

 seen them so fat on their passage that when shot they have 

 burst asunder on falling to the ground, which quite corroborates 

 Canon Tristram's remarks. 



* Numbers xi. 31, 



