COMMON QUAIL. 433 



tlie summer of this year, received a nest and eggs 

 from Little Ellingham; and has had one since, but is 

 unable to remember the exact date or locality. 



1861. A nest, mown out of the hay, was taken at 

 Northrepps, near Cromer. The eggs were subsequently 

 hatched under hens, but the young, unfortunately, were 

 destroyed by a weasel. 



1862. A nest found in June, at Brampton, from 

 which two eggs in the museum collection were taken. * 



Many more instances have no doubt occurred during 

 the same period, either passing unnoticed or unre- 

 corded, but the above will at least show in what various 

 localities these birds are still met with, though scattered 

 here and there in detached couples. 



The frequent occurrence of this species during the 

 winter months, although generally considered as a summer 

 visitant only, has been noticed of late years in this county 

 as much as in the more southern counties of England ;f 



* In the adjoining part of Suffolk, Mr. A. Newton tells me that 

 he had eggs brought to him, taken in the parish of Barnham, in 

 1849 and 1854; and that in 1851 a nest with eleven eggs was 

 found at Elveden on the 25th of June. Some of these last were 

 put under a bantam hen, and the young birds hatched and 

 reared. 



f Montagu, writing from the south of England, remarks, " In 

 October they leave us and return south, leaving some few (pro- 

 bably of a later brood) behind to brave the severity of our winter." 

 Pennant, however, in his "British Zoology" has the following 

 very remarkable note on this species, which he describes as 

 " birds of passage, some entirely quitting our island, others shifting 

 their quarters." He then states on the authority of a friend, that 

 " these birds migrate out of the neighbouring inland counties into 

 the hundreds of Essex in October, and continue there all the 

 winter ; if frost and snow drive them out of the stubble fields and 

 marshes they retreat to the seaside, shelter themselves among the 

 weeds, and live upon what they can pick up from the algce, &c., 

 between high and low water. Our friend remarks that the time of 

 their appearance in Essex, coincides with that of their leaving the 



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