46 THE PHEASANT SUBFAMILY 



undoubtedly diminished (cf. Ussher and Warren, B. of Ireland, 1900, p. 234). 

 But both in Ireland and Great Britain the stock is temporarily increased by occa- 

 sional exceptionally great spring immigrations : the seasons 1870, 1885, 1892, and 

 1893 may be specially mentioned (cf. Saunders, III. Man. B. B., 2nd ed., 1899, 

 p. 505 ; and Forrest, Fauna of N. Wales, 1907, p. 314). The spring immigrants 

 arrive about the second week of May (cf. Ticehurst, B. of Kent, 1909, p. 391), and 

 the majority leave in or before October. A gregarious and at least partially noc- 

 turnal migrant: flocks of immense size occur in the Mediterranean countries, 

 especially in spring, and, "as of old in Sinai, multitudes come up in the night and 

 cover the land " (Saunders, loc. cit.). [A. L. T.] 



4. Nest and Eggs. The nest hollow is scratched out by the hen among 

 growing crops or grass, often among clover or lucerne, and is lined with grasses and 

 stalks. The eggs vary a good deal in appearance, but have generally a yellowish 

 white or stone-coloured ground. Sometimes the markings consist of innumerable 

 small umber-brown spots ; at other times there are a few blotches of deep sepia, 

 and some eggs have the ground almost hidden by numerous large blotches of rich 

 blackish brown. As a rule they range in number from 7 to 12 or 14, but clutches 

 of 15 and 16 have been recorded, and Leverkuhn mentions a nest of 26 eggs, pro- 

 bably laid by two birds. Average size of 50 eggs, ri4x - 88 in. [29-1x22-4 mm.]. 

 Incubation is performed by the hen alone, and is stated by several authorities to last 

 for about three weeks, though Thienemann gives 18 to 20 days. It is, however, 

 worth noting that other species of this genus, whose incubation period has been 

 accurately observed in captivity, hatched out in 16 to 18 or 19 days, the male 

 deserting the female as soon as incubation had begun and seeking another mate. 

 In England the eggs are not laid till late in May, the full clutch often being not 

 completed till mid-June, while in Scotland they may be found in July, and excep- 

 tionally even in September (Saxby). Saunders states that two broods are some- 

 times reared in the season, and partly fledged young have been met with in Yorkshire 

 in September. Possibly the second broods may be reared by birds which have 

 wintered with us, and reared their first hatch early in the season. [F. c. R. J.] 



5. Food. As the common-partridge, [w. P. P.] 



The following species, which is of doubtful occurrence, is described in the supple- 

 mentary chapter on " Rare Birds " : 



Andalucian bush-quail, Turnix sylvdticus (Desfontaines). It is placed in the 

 suborder Turnices, family Turnicidce. [F. c. B. J.] 



