Quails. 9 1 



to have been observed in every part of 

 the Empire from the Punjab to Cape 

 Comorin and from Assam to Pegu. 

 When Colonel Legge wrote the history 

 of the Birds of Ceylon this Quail was not 

 known to inhabit that island, but it has 

 since been observed at Colombo. It 

 ascends the hills, such as the Nilghiris 

 and the lower ranges of the Himalayas, 

 quite up to 6000 feet. 



The Black-breasted Quail, although so 

 widely distributed, is only to be found in 

 open country where there is grass and 

 cultivation. It avoids forests. It is to a 

 certain extent migratory, its movements 

 being prompted apparently by a desire 

 to avoid heavy rain and flooded country. 

 Messrs. Hume and Marshall inform us 

 that in the lower ranges of the Himalayas, 

 the Punjab, Sind, Rajputana, Cutch, 

 Kattiawar, the North-West Provinces, 

 Oudh and the northern portions of Bengal, 

 this Quail is mainly a rainy-season visitor. 

 Many birds no doubt remain in the above 

 provinces all the year round, for in the 

 Hume Collection there are several speci- 

 mens which were procured in the Punjab, 

 for instance, from January to April. In 

 the open parts of Upper Burma, where 

 the rainfall is scanty, very large numbers 



