2G0 JIICRATION OF THE QUAIL, 



on the back the plumage is mostly greyish blacky although there are a good 

 many black feathers remaining with the double white spot at the extremity. 

 It is worthy of notice, as shewing the manner in which they lose these hand- 

 some ornaments, to remark that as one of us was stroking his hand along the 

 back of the bird^ we observed several of these white spots drop off like flakes 

 of snow, breaking off from the feathers, of which they formed a part. It 

 was thi» peculiarity which made me wish to forward the specimen; and I 

 think I will yet preserve the skin of what remains. There was notliing 

 remarkable about the head and neck, which had completely assumed the winter 



plumage. 



{To be continued.) 



ON THE MIGRATION OF THE QUAIL, 

 {COTURNIX DACTYLISONANS.) 



BY THE REV. W. W. COOPER. 



Certain questions connected with the migration of the Quail, (Coturmx 

 dactyh'sonans,) being still involved in considerable obscurity, I am induced to 

 lay before the readers of "The Naturalist" the present state of our knowledge 

 on the subject, in the hope of exciting others to such further observations as 

 may improve our knowledge of this interesting little bird, I will take up the 

 history at the beginning, as that will shew what progress has, in modern 

 times, been made in accurate observation, though, as we shall presently see, 

 there is still much room for improvement. 



Pliny tells us, (I quote from the translation of Philemon Hollond, published 

 in 163o,) ^'But since we are entred into this discourse of those foules that 

 make voiages by whole flocks over sea and land to see strange countries, I 

 cannot put off to speak of lesser birds also, which are of the like nature. 

 For those before named may seerae in some sort to be induced to such great 

 travell, so bigge they are of bodie, and so strong withall. As touching 

 Quailes, therefore, they alwaies come before the Cranes depart. A little bird 

 it is, and whiles she is among us here, mounteth not aloft in the aire, but 

 rather flieth below neer the ground. The manner of their flying is like the 

 former, in troupes: but not without some danger of the sailers when they 

 approch neer to land. For oftentimes they settle in great number on their 

 sailes, and then perch, which they doe evermore in the right, and with their 

 poise beare downe barkes and small vessels, and finally sinke them. The 

 Quails have their gists, to wit, ordinarie resting and baiting places. When 

 the south wind blowes, they never flie: for why? it is a moist, heavy, and 

 cloggie wind, and that they know well ynough. And yet they willingly chase 

 a gale whensoever they flie, by reason their bodies are too weigh tie (in com- 

 parison of their wings,) to beare them up, and besides their strength is but 

 small. And hereupon it is that as they flie, they seem by their manner of 

 crie, to coraplaine, as though they flew with paine. Commonly therefore they 



