Bush-Quails. loi 



They of course avoid the inner depths of 

 the jungle, but are found on the outskirts, 

 especially where there is good dense 

 cover, such as the common brake fern ; 

 but their favourite resort is rather rocky 

 ground, interspersed with bushes and 

 dense clumps of fern and high grass, 

 especially when such places abut on or 

 are near cultivation, or any road along 

 which cattle, carrying grain, habitually 

 pass. . . . They are tame little birds, 

 and will seldom rise when met with on 

 a road unless hard pressed or suddenly 

 surprised ; they content themselves with 

 running on ahead, occasionally stopping 

 to pick up a grain or an insect, until 

 they think they are being too closely 

 followed, when they quickly slip out of 

 sight into the first bit of cover they come 



to Their call is a series of 



whisthng notes, commencing very soft 

 and low, and ending high and rather 

 shrill, the first part of the call being 

 composed of single, the latter of double 

 notes, sounding something like tu-tu-tu-tu 

 ttdu-t2itu-tutu^ etc. When a covey has 

 been flashed and scattered, one bird 

 commences after a few minutes calling in 

 a very low tone, another immediately 

 taking it up, then another, and so on. 



