The Quail. 93 



are dark grey, crossed by many red bars; and the short tail 

 is brown, barred with red lines. 



In the female the throat is white, and her breast, paler 

 than that of the male, is covered with black spots. 



In Europe the Quail is migratory, arriving in England in 

 May, and departing in September: it usually frequents corn- 

 fields, and lives on all kinds of grain, insects, small slugs and 

 worms, and green grass. 



In the house it will do very well on seed, with the addition 

 of green food, soaked bread, and as many insects as are ob- 

 tainable, particularly ants' eggs, to which it is extremely 

 partial. It is very fond of drinking, and should always have 

 an abundant supply of fresh clean water. It does not bathe, 

 but rolls itself in the sand, like the common poultry, to 

 which family it belongs. 



The Quail usually nests in July, laying from seven to 

 fourteen eggs, of a bluish white colour, with large brown 

 spots. Incubation lasts about three weeks from the laying 

 of the last egg: the young run about directly they come out 

 of the shell, and grow so rapidly that they are able to take 

 their departure to a warmer country with their parents in 

 the autumn. 



The Quail will occasionally breed in the aviary, but usually 

 the female, though laying an immense number of eggs, never 

 attempts to sit. During the first year of their lives, the young 

 ones all resemble their mother; and if it is desired to bring 

 them up in the house, they must be fed on hard-boiled yolk 

 of egg, crumbled up fine, the crumb of white bread, and 

 grated carrot, mixed with ants' eggs; they will be more likely 

 to be successfully reared if the eggs are placed under, and 

 hatched by, a very tame bantam hen. 



Eechstein vaunts the "song" of the Quail, which he thus 

 describes: ''The song of this bird is no slight recommendation 

 to the amateur: in the breeding season the male commences 

 by repeating softly, tones resembling ^verra, verra' , followed 



