Vol. VI. 

 1Q07 



J Berne Y, Birds of the Richmond District, N.Q. 107 



They appear to be partly insectivorous and partly granivorous, as the 

 stomach of one I examined contained nothing but seeds of what is locally 

 called wild sorghum {Cliionachne barbata). The bird's crop, I may mention, 

 contained a hundred of these large seeds, swallowed, of course, with their 

 husks, while Mr. A. S. Le Souef, to whom I forwarded two stomachs for 

 examination, kindly wrote me that one contained beetles only, and the other 

 beetles, grasshoppers, and one grass seed. The various species of Quail are 

 often seen out here in cages with other birds, as they are easily reared from 

 chicks in the down, or, if caught adult, take kindly to confinement. Many 

 thousands of Quail are netted on the Continent and shipped to the London 

 markets in long, shallow box-cages, about 5 feet long by 18 inches deep 

 and 6 or 7 inches high, seed and water troughs extending along the 

 front. In these dark and far from cheerful surroundings, and occupying a 

 corner in a poulterer's shop, the little birds thrive and fatten, and are killed 

 and plucked as required for customers. 



Black-hacked Quail {Turnix inaculosa). — In February, 1905, the cat 

 brought in and consumed a Quail, of which, I regret to say, it left me only 

 a wing, for I saw at once the bird was a stranger to me. I believed it to be 

 this species, and, on referring the wing to Mr. A. J. Campbell, he wrote — 

 " I think you may put it down as uiacii/osa, but with a query in the mean- 

 time." 



Red-chested Quail {Turnix pyrrhothorax). — This species is the most 

 commonly seen Quail in the district, but, like the last species, and probably 

 for the same reason, it avoids these parts during the latter half of the year, 

 only odd individuals being seen after June. Just what it is that governs 

 their coming and going I find it hard to decide, for 1904 was anything but a 

 good season from a pastoralist's point of view, yet it was an exceptionally 

 good Quail year about Richmond — and, I think, all over Queensland- 

 while, on the other hand, 1906, so far (October) has been one of the best 

 recorded for grass and water, and yet all Quails have been most rare. I have 

 seen chicks in the down in March, and I once flushed a bird with four small 

 downy youngsters early in July. 



Measurements of four obtained here : — 



Dissection of above showed no sign whatever of breeding. No. 57 is, 

 perhaps, four or five months old ; 58 is fully adult. 

 Found generally on high, dry country. 



Little Quail (Turnix velox). — Not often seen, but during 1904 more 

 came into my hands than usual ; they keep generally to the high, dry downs, 

 and like the other Quail are not generally seen much after June, though I 

 ran down a squeaker at the end of August in 1904. I caught another 

 youngster in the same way early in April that year. 



Particulars of two obtained locally : — 



Mr. A. S. Le Souef was good enough to write me that the stomach of No. 

 107 contained various species of small beetles and grasshoppers, but no 

 vegetable seeds. 



