126 PHASIANID^. 



generally have a red throat, with only a slight trace of the 

 dark central patch ; the flank-feathers are also more distinctly 

 marbled with brown than ordinary and migrating examples. 

 Naturally they occur on the intermediate island of Madeira. 

 It is, however, on the shores of the Mediterranean that their 

 amazing numbers are most noticeable ; the vernal migration 

 being the largest in some localities, whilst in others the 

 spring arrivals preponderate in numbers. In the south of 

 Spain, especially near Malaga, where the cotton which is 

 cultivated affords excellent cover. Quails remain in some 

 numbers throughout the winter. These resident birds, 

 which are as a rule dark in plumage, are termed " codor- 

 nices castellanas " by the natives, whilst the spring- 

 arrivals, many of which are somewhat smaller and lighter- 

 coloured, are called " moriscas," " africanas," and, accord- 

 ing to Colonel Irby, " criollas." The latter arrive in 

 March and April ; the return migration taking place towards 

 the end of September. Vast numbers cross from Africa to 

 Italy by way of Pantellaria, Malta, and Sicily, arriving in the 

 spring during the night, whereas in autumn they generally 

 pass during the hours of daylight.* The migration is 

 equally general to the eastward, and in Palestine, during the 

 months of March and April, the Quails come up in the night 

 and cover the land. On the African side of the Mediterranean 

 the species necessarily occurs on migration along the whole 

 line ; many examples remaining to breed in the Cisatlantean 

 provinces ; whilst by the latter part of August a great number 

 have already returned through that great continent and 

 reached the Cape of Good Hope. The course of their 

 migration is more clearly traceable by way of the Cape de 

 Verde, and along the western side, than in any other 

 direction ; but there are probably several main lines, for 

 Quails are widely distributed in the Transvaal, and they 

 occur both in Madagascar and Mauritius. 



Eastward of Asia Minor this migratory species occurs in 

 Turkestan and Persia, and breeds regularly in Cashmere, 

 descending in the cold weather to the plains of India, where 

 • C. A. Wright, 'Ibis,' 1864, p. 138. 



