THE QUAIL. 169 



who unwittingly introduced this foreign plague into 

 their ancestral domains. Some portions of those 

 counties are fortunately exempt from them, while 

 in others they have increased to such a degree as 

 to expel the old English or cinereous partridge, 

 and being excessively wild and difficult to flush, 

 they run before the dogs for miles, and severely 

 test the patience and temper of the sportsman. 



The quail (Coturnix vulgaris) is only an autum- 

 nal migratory visitor to Sussex. I never met with 

 a bevy in any part of the county, although I have 

 occasionally killed a few stragglers when partridge- 

 shooting in September. In some districts of 

 England they would appear to be comparatively 

 numerous, and in Ireland I have found them abun- 

 dant in the King's County during the winter. 

 They appeared partial to backward oat-stubbles 

 on poor swampy soils just verging on the borders 

 of the great red bogs. After the first flight they 

 generally lay well : the grand point was to drive 

 them towards the bog, and if possible to scatter 

 them over its surface. What capital sport they 

 then afforded in combination with snipe, plo- 

 ver, teal, and wild ducks, the natural denizens of 

 the swamp, which usually contributed to my bag 

 on such occasions ! 



On certain portions of the Downs of Sussex the 

 pursuit of the partridge partakes almost of the 



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