EXCALFACTORIA ADANSONI. 



BLUE QUAIL. 



(Plate 33.) 



Coturnix adansonii, Verreaux, Rev. et Mag. de Zool., 1851, p. 515 ; 

 Sharpe's ed. Layard Birds of S. Afr., p. 606 (1875-84) ; Nicolls 

 and Eglington, Sportsman in S. Afr., p. 107 (1892). 



Excalfactoria adansoni, Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., xxn, 

 p. 255 (1893) ; Woodward, Natal Bii-ds, p. 164 (1899) ; Reichenow, 

 Vogel Afrikas, i, p. 509 (1900-01) ; Sclater, Ann. S. Afr. Mus. 

 m, p. 355 (1905); Sclater & Stark, Birds of S. Afr., iv, p. 226 

 (1906). 



Desceiption. The birds figured are an adult male and female. Length 

 about 5 in. 



Distribution. Mr. Sclater says " that this beautiful little species has 

 hitherto been found only in West Africa from the Gold Coast to 

 Gaboon in Nyassaland, and within our limits in Natal and the 

 eastern part of Cape Colony." 



There are but three species of Excalfactoria, one of which 

 occurs m India and Ceylon, where I have shot it, one in 

 Austraha (E. lineata), and the present one. 



I have killed a few of these tiny Blue Quail near Cape 

 Coast Castle on the Gold Coast ; they were found on old land 

 going out of cultivation, and they flew swiftly and well. 



Mr. Hutchinson states that it is pretty common in Natal 

 though not appearing every season ; it frequents long grass 

 and reeds, breeds in the country and migrates as soon as 

 the young are old enough to travel. 



Dr. Reichenow found a nest in the Cameroons in West 



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