IS GAr^IE-BIRDS 



that it is most abundant in East Anglia, Kent, and Sussex, and that it 

 has not thriven when introduced into Scotland or Ireland. In habits 

 the red-legged partridges differ markedly from Perdix\ the cocks 

 showing a great propensity to take up a position on some elevated 

 object, such as a rock or a fence, and there to utter the characteristic 

 cry of " chukor." They are also more fond of covert, and prone to 

 run rather than take wing when disturbed. Although the birds do not 

 pair till the end of March or April, the nesting-season is rather earlier 

 than in the case of the partridge. The badly-made nest is placed 

 among herbage of some sort, cither in a dry ditch or among growing 

 crops ; and the eggs, which take three days longer to incubate than 

 those of the partridge, vary from a dozen to a dozen and a half in 

 number. In ground-colour they are brownish yellow, with spots and 

 blotches of purplish, reddish, or yellowish brown. As being stronger 

 on the wing than the partridge, the present species is a less satisfactory 

 bird to the sportsman. Pale-coloured or white examples are by no 

 means uncommon ; and a bird of the latter type was presented in 

 1905 to the British Museum by Lord Rendlesham, on whose estate 

 in Suffolk it was shot in company with a similar specimen, both being 

 members of the same covey. 



The spread of the red-legged partridge in the east 



and south-east of England has been to a consider- 

 (Coturnix , , ..,.,, , , 



able extent comcident with the almost complete 

 communis). ,. . , ., . , t^ • • , t 1 1 



disappearance of the quail from the British Islands, 



where, especially in Ireland, it was formerly a common summer-visitor ; 

 while in mild seasons a certain number of individuals spent the winter 

 with us, if indeed they were not permanent residents. This disappear- 

 ance of the quail as a common British species is generally attributed 

 to the wholesale netting of these birds on the spring-migration in the 

 Mediterranean countries for the supply of the markets of Paris, Rome, 

 London, and other large cities. The vast extent to which this netting 

 is carried on may be inferred from the fact that a single vessel has 

 brought no less than 40,000 quails to Marseilles on one trip. In 

 Ireland the quail was most numerous previous to the year 1845, 

 about which date it was not uncommon to find several of its nests in a 

 single field. After 1880 the species was practically unknown in the 

 country for some years, but in the earlier 'nineties it reappeared to a 

 certain extent, after which it again waned. In 1904 and 1905 its 

 characteristic call-note was once more heard in localities where the bird 

 had not been recorded for years. The quail formerly ranged all over 



