352 THE NESTS AND EGGS OE BRITISH BIRDS. 



month. It is said that this species rears two broods in 

 the year, the eggs for the first being laid in April. The 

 eggs of this Sand Grouse cannot readily be confused 

 with those of any other species breeding in our area, 

 their oval form being very characteristic. 



Family PHASIANID^. Genus COTURNIX. 



Sub-family PERDICINM. 



COMMON QUAIL. 



CoTURNix COMMUNIS, BoHnaterre. 

 Single Brooded. Laying season, end of May and in June. 



British breeding area : The Quail can nowhere be 

 regarded as an abundant bird in our islands, but is 

 generally distributed throughout their area, even in- 

 cluding such wild districts as the Outer Hebrides, the 

 Orkneys, and the Shetlands, becoming most numerous 

 in the southern and central counties of England. 



Breeding [habits : It is most probable that the 

 individual Quails that breed in our islands are summer 

 migrants, the birds that winter with more or less regu- 

 larity in the south and west of England and in Ireland 

 being wanderers from more northern lands. The Quail 

 arrives in our islands in May. Its favourite breeding- 

 grounds are grain lands, hay and clover meadows, and 

 unenclosed areas of rough pasturage. It is much attached 

 to certain haunts, returning to them every season to 

 breed; and it is probably owing to this attachment and 

 to the drainage of so much rough pasture that it has so 

 perceptibly decreased in numbers during recent years. 

 In some districts the Quail is polygamous, in others 

 monogamous, the excess or rarity of hens apparently 



