THE COMMON QUAIL. 191 



his brother, the Hon. Lord Low of Laws, had shot a Quail 

 at Godscroft, in the parish of Abbey St. Bathans, a few years 

 previous to the above date. The gamekeeper at Mordington 

 states that a specimen was seen amongst turnips in Jock's 

 Park on Mordington Mains farm about 1874 ; and, accord- 

 ing to Mr. George Duns, architect, Duns, two were got in 

 the Damhead Field on Mungoswalls farm, in the vicinity of 

 Nisbet House, in August 1885, another pair having been 

 obtained in the same locality about eleven years before that 

 date. Mr. James Purves, gamekeeper, Foulden, writes to me 

 that he shot a Quail on St. John's farm, Poulden Estate, on 

 the 12th of October 1878, and another in the Stackyard 

 Field, Foulden Bastle, on the 30th of September 1882. Two 

 were bagged on Todhillrigg on the 15th of October 1892.^ 



It may be mentioned that Mr. Hardy records the 

 breeding of this bird on Springfield farm, in Oldhamstocks 

 parish, East-Lothian, on the western borders of Berwick- 

 shire,^ and that Mr. George Bolam states that on more 

 than one occasion he has heard its call within " Berwick 

 Bounds," in the fields adjoining the roads leading to Paxton 

 and Chirnside, on the eastern borders of the county. He 

 says : " Like the Corn Crake, Quails are most vociferous 

 at sundown, and it is when the twilight has pretty far 

 advanced on a fine summer evening, and when most other 

 birds are silent, that their ' Plup,' ' plup ' is most notice- 

 able." He adds that the note, which is often repeated 

 two or three times in succession, somewhat resembles one 

 of the sounds made by a Turkey Hen.^ 



The Quail is fond of frequenting grass and corn fields, 

 where, on summer evenings, the peculiar cry of the male 

 may be heard as he " clamours for his running mate." ^ 



1 Information from James Hunter, Esq. of Antonsliill. 



2 Hist. Ber. Nat. Club, vol. vii. p. 515. 3 jf){(i^ vol, x. pp. 392, 393. 

 4 Thomson's Seasons — "Summer." 



