QUAIL. 289 



the many male birds from S. Africa and Southern Europe, See, 

 in which the white parts on the sides of the head and throat 

 are more or less suffused with the bright rufous-chestnut 

 characteristic of the resident bird. 



A curious variety or semi-melanistic form of C cotiirnix 

 occurs in Spain, in the marshy neighbourhood of Valencia. 

 A male in the British Museum has the general colour of the 

 plumage black, and the female has the under parts suffused 

 with sooty-brown. 



Range. — Africa, Europe, and Asia, except in the south-east 

 portion. A summer visitor to Great Britain, some remaining 

 in mild winters. 



Habits. — The migratory habits of this species are well known 

 to most people, but though the great majority — countless hosts 

 of Quail, which may be numbered by millions rather than 

 thousands — shift their quarters in September and October, on 

 the approach of winter, and move southwards, in many places 

 a certain number remain and spend the winter where they have 

 bred. For instance, in the South of England and Ireland, and 

 in the countries bordering the Mediterranean, a few remain to 

 winter, but the bulk of the European summer visitors betake 

 themselves by various lines of migration to South Africa, 

 whence they return in March and April of the following spring. 

 Enormous numbers also winter in India, crossing the Hima- 

 layas from Central Asia, while many arrive in Sind and 

 Guzerat from the west, moving southwards from Baluchistan, 

 Persia, and other northern latitudes. 



The number of migrants varies greatly in different years, 

 their movements being largely, if not entirely, regulated by the 

 food supply and seasonal conditions of the countries which 

 they visit. 



One may form some idea of the vast number to be met 

 with in some parts of India, from the following remarks by 

 Tickell. He says : — " In such localities as have been above 

 noticed, Quails at times abound to such a degree that shooting 

 them is mere slaughter. Where birds get up at every step, dogs 

 or beaters are worse than useless, and where the game is so 

 plentiful, search after a wounded bird is seldom thought worth 

 the trouble. It is usual to be provided with two or three 

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