154 HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS 



(Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. iv. p. 153). In 1840 a 

 number were liberated in the neighbourhood of 

 Windsor by his Royal Highness the late Prince 

 Consort. In 1844 Mr. Thornhill of Riddlesworth 

 turned out a number in Suffolk, and in the same 

 year some were introduced at Ballindalloch. In 

 1857 four brace were turned out in East Lothian. 



In April 1867 three males and four females were 

 set free by H.R.H. the Prince of Wales at Sandring- 

 ham (Field, Aug. 26, 1871). Since that time, the 

 Maharajah Duleep Singh and other game preservers 

 in Norfolk and Suffolk have turned out a great 

 number. On Dec. 5, 1879, I shot one at North- 

 wold, near Brandon, which had doubtless strayed 

 from Elveden. Lord Walsingham turned out a good 

 many at Merton Hall, near Thetford, where in the 

 summer of 1887 I saw a deserted nest containing 

 addled eggs. These, unlike the eggs of our Quail, 

 are pure white and larger. 



Near Oundle, Northamptonshire, many hundreds 

 were turned out by Lord Lilford. Mr. Boulton has 

 one which was shot at Cottingham, near Bever- 

 ley, Yorks ; and Dr. Bree has recorded one killed 

 at Birch in Essex (Field, June 26, 1878). It is 

 thus easy to account for the appearance of the 

 specimens which have been shot at various times, 

 and chronicled as rare British birds. But though 

 hundreds have been liberated in this country, 

 all attempts to naturalise this species have 

 failed. 



Montagu states that " the late General Gabbitt 



