MOZAMBIQUE TERRITORY, PORTUGUESE EAST AFRICA (1) 37 
the larger, and feels that her duty towards the perpetuation of the 
species has ended when she has laid her eggs. So poor father, with 
his drab looks and strong paternal instinct, incubates the eggs and 
tends the young, while mother clears off and seeks another mate. 
To bring about this unusual state of affairs nature conveniently 
arranges the sexes so that the males predominate. On quitting the 
misguided fellow who has obligingly condescended to sit on her 
eggs, the lady of leisure sets up a booming call-note—a special 
clarion call to any unattached males—to advertise the fact that 
she is ready and willing. 
Although superficially resembling common quails in appear- 
ance, Button Quails can be distinguished at once by their toes, 
which number only three—the hind toe being absent. Anatom- 
ically they are more closely related to pigeons, and there is also 
something about their habits that reminds one of certain ground- 
doves. In the wild state they love running along native footpaths 
bordered by long overhanging grass, for here they can keep under 
cover and find with ease the seeds, supplemented with insects, 
which form their staple diet. 
In a few days my specimens became so tame that I could handle 
them like day-old chicks. Every day I dug up a portion of a 
termites’ nest and put it on the floor of my bird-room, and then 
liberated the quails. This was their daily treat, and mine, for it 
was grand to watch them running around excitedly mopping up 
termites as fast as they emerged from the interior of their broken 
honeycombed nest, and dashing fearlessly between my legs and 
over my boots in chase of the few odd termites which managed 
to crawl some distance while their fellows were being gobbled up. 
While digging up these termites’ nests I often came across 
patches of whitish cellular spawn (Mycelium) cultivated by the 
termites themselves, and used by them as special food. At a certain 
time of the year this spawn produces mushrooms. They reach 
the surface often from a depth of two or three feet, and on 
several occasions after the first rains Krantz brought in a number 
of long-stemmed specimens which were excellent eating. 
One evening Krantz became very ill, so I cycled ten miles to a 
neighbor to get some brandy (a form of medicine that would not 
keep in Krantz’s house). Long before I got back night had fallen, 
