X 



THE QUAIL, 



Podix cotinnlx. 

 Tetrao coturnix. 



HIS well-kno\vn bii;d was 

 formerly much more common 

 in Great Britain thaii_ it is 

 a_t_ the present day ; indeed, 

 less than a century ago, the 

 Quail was regularlyjound 

 in great^ abundance in many 

 parts of the counhy where 

 now its a])pearance is con- 

 sidered a rarity. In Ireland 

 it is sa^l their numbers have 

 shown no^^igns of diminish- 

 ing. In Scotland they have 

 never been common. York- 

 shire, Norfolk, Berkshire, 

 Lincolnshire, Surrey, and 

 Devonshire may be men- 

 tioned as i^laces in which 

 they are met with more 

 frequently than elsewhere. 



At one time the Quail was 

 regarded purely as a sum- 

 mer visitor, but numerous 

 instances are recorded of 



