The EiKiiiraiicc of Birds. 24^ 



Common Ouail: l'"or some reason this plainly-clad 

 species has never laid ej^j^s in my aviaries, though 1 have 

 possessed many pairs. 



Very few ha\e been reared in captivity, in fact. I think I 

 am correct in statins; that on.ly two aviculturists ha\e succeeded 

 in successfully rearin,y younj^-. 



It is hardy, but thrives best on dry i^round, and calls for 

 no further comment. It is the least attractive of all the quails, 

 and is shy and wild in demeanour. 



Gre.at a.\d Ln ile Butio.x-Ouail : Both these are very 

 attractive and handsome si)ecies. Both are small species, but 

 the Little Button is, 1 think, the most minute of all cjuail. 



They are polyandrius. i.e., the male bird incubates the 

 eggs and rears the chicks, while the hen, taking no interest in 

 the eggs, goes off and seeks another mate and lays another 

 clutch of eggs, and so on. 



Given dry ground the_\- are not at all difficult to keep fit in 

 captivity, but, so far as I can call to mind at the moment of 

 writing, diissitiiiicri has made no attempt to go to nest in 

 captivity. 



Their native habitat is India. 



In conclusion. I must point out that most species of 

 cjuails are rather scary and wild when first put into new quarters, 

 and apt to rise wildly and scalp themselves against the roof- 

 netting of the aviary. Thus it is well to cut the fiight feathers of 

 one wing before turning them into the aviary. There will be no 

 need to repeat this operation after the nioult has restored to 

 them the full power of fiight, as, by this time they will have 

 settled down and will not be liable to flying wildly, but simply 

 scuttle into cover when one enters their enclosure. 



I consider no mixed series of birds is complete unless it 

 includes one or two pairs of these charming birds. 



Except the Californian, the species named in this paper 

 spend practically the whole of their time upon the ground. 



To be continued. 



