252 ON THE FRONTIER. 



remarkable thing about them is that, unlike all other wild 

 birds I am acquainted with, not only are no two of them 

 exactly alike in their markings, but the variations are 

 excessive, both in the colouring, shape, and size of the 

 spots. 



At Marl Springs I have invariably been successful in 

 making a decent bag of these birds, but I must confess to 

 having sinned against the sporting code on those occasions, 

 and taken an unfair advantage of them ; but it must be 

 remembered I was shooting, not for sport, but for break- 

 fast, and wanted to get a sufficient number of birds in time 

 to be cooked for that meal. I used, therefore, to cache 

 myself behind some rocks within easy distance of the 

 puddles, and wait for the flocks coming to drink at day- 

 light, and, on their arrival, take a rake at them. On the 

 last occasion of my camping at Marl Springs I murdered 

 that is the proper name for it twenty-nine of these beautiful 

 and delicious birds in three shots. First shot, thirteen ; the 

 next, nine ; and lastly, seven. 



We turn our backs on Marl Springs gladly almost as 

 gladly as we arrived there. In such a place there is no 

 inducement to remain. It is an excellent place for only 

 one thing to leave. Its one redeeming feature, the pied 

 quails, have no longer any charms for us. We have eaten 

 our fill of them, and on no account would we wish to 

 remain long enough to get hungry again ; and though we 

 have fared sumptuously, our animals have not, for the 

 grass in the neighbourhood is only remarkable for its 

 absence. Twenty miles of alternate barren rocky ridges 

 and desert valleys, of steep hills and abrupt declivities, 



