240 Oitail Fi)ichcs. 



by year, as the season of the cherries came rouiiih in order 

 10 frighten away the birds, the old man used to fix up in the 

 tree a clapper arrangement which was worked by a diminutive 

 windmill. As the sails revolved, two heavy, loosely-hung 

 pieces of iron were banged against an empty gunpov/der 

 cannister — a common object in old muzzle-loading days — with 

 results w'hich were more audible than musical ; and I do not 

 know of anything which reminds me so much of this ingenious 

 contrivance of the old cottager as the staccato song of the Quail 

 Finch, which goes somewhat as follows : — Click clack click dike 

 cluck deck click cloih cluck dick deck clack cluck 

 dike cloike, etc., etc. Now if this score be read slowly, it 

 may appear a little tedious; it should be galloped through, as 

 when a gust of wind whirls round the arms of the windmill, 

 and great care must be exercised lest a slur or a false note be 

 uttered; and as the wind is uncertain and unequal, so the song 

 bursts forth at one time with startling suddenness; at another 

 just for a little spell; at another for a prolonged period, accord- 

 ing to the spirit of the moment. I am conscious that no 

 com.bination of words which may be found in any dictionarv 

 can adequately describe this unrivalled composition — but it has 

 only to be heard to be appreciated ! " With the latter sentiment 

 T am in thorough accord. Towards evening all the Quail 

 I^^inches grow very restless and fly round and round the aviary, 

 making a tremendous clatter. Their usual flight is a curious 

 sort of bobbing motion, and they often drop to earth with 

 surprising abruptness. But they sometimes make use of a 

 much more rapid and what one might term purposeful flight, 

 when the bobbing motion is almost entirely absent. The love 

 dance is very curious. The little cock faces the hen and draws 

 himself up very straight and to his full height, and then rapidly 

 vibrates his wings " singing " hard all the time. The wings 

 are kept half open and held out stiffly, and then follows this 

 otremely rapid, vibrating motion, almost a sort of shivering. 

 I have sometimes seen a large moth go through a very similar 

 sort of vibrating motion with its wings, and of a truth the bird 

 •♦ such moments more resembles a large moth than a bird. 

 Usually it stands quite still but occasionally it will pivouette 

 slowly and almost on tip-toe as it were around the hen with its 

 feet apparently only just touching the ground. In fact it is 



