THE POULTRY KIND. 



509 



CHAPTER XCVII. 



THE QUAIL. 



THE last of the poultry kind that I shall 

 mention, is the quail; a bird much smaller 

 than any of the former, being not above half 

 the size of a partridge. The feathers of the 

 head are black, edged with rusty brown; the 

 breast is of a pale yellowish red, spotted 

 with black; the feathers on the back are 

 marked with lines of a pale yellow, and the 

 legs are of a pale hue. Except in the co- 

 lours thus described, and the size, it every 

 way resembles a partridge in shape; and, 

 except that it is a bird of passage, all 

 others of the poultry kind, in its habits and 

 nature. 



The quail is by all known to he a bird of 

 passage; and yet if we consider its heavy 

 manner of flying, and its dearth of plumage, 

 with respect to its corpulence, we shall be 

 surprised how a bird so apparently ill quali- 

 fied for migration, should take such exten- 

 sive journeys. Nothing, however, is more 

 certain: "When we sailed from Rhodes to 

 Alexandria." says Bellonius, "about autumn, 

 many quails, Hying from the north to the 

 south, were taken in our ship; and sailing at 

 spring-time, the contrary way, from the south 

 to the .north, I observed them on their return, 

 when many of them were taken in the same 

 manner." This account is confirmed by ma- 

 ny others; who aver, that they choose a north 

 wind for these adventures; the south wind 

 being very unfavourable, as it retards their 

 flight, by moistening their plumage. They 

 then fly two by two; continuing, when their 

 way lies over land, to go faster by night than 

 by day ; and to fly very high, to avoid being 

 surprised or set upon by birds of prey. How- 

 ever, it still remains a doubt whether quails 

 take such long journeys as Bellonius has made 

 them perform. It is now asserted by some, 

 that the quail only migrates from one pro- 

 vince of a country to another. For instance, 

 in England, they fly from the inland counties. 



to those bordering on the sea, and continue 

 there all the winter. If frost or snow drive 

 them out of the stubble-fields or marshes, 

 they then retreat to the sea-side, shelter them- 

 selves among the weeds, and live upon what 

 is thrown up from the sea upon shore. Par- 

 ticularly in Essex, the time of their appear- 

 ance upon the coasts of that country exact- 

 ly coincides with their disappearance from 

 the more internal parts of the kingdom; so 

 that what has been said of their long flights, 

 is probably not so well founded as is general- 

 ly supposed. 



These birds are much less prolific than the 

 partridge; seldom laying more than six or 

 seven whitish eggs, marked with ragged rust- 

 coloured spots. But their ardour in court- 

 ship yields scarcely to any other bird, as they 

 are fierce and cruel at that season to each 

 other, fighting most desperately, and (a pu- 

 nishment they richly deserve) being at that 

 time very easily taken. Quail-fighting was a 

 favourite amusement among the Athenians : 

 they abstained from the flesh of this bird, 

 deeming it unwholesome, as supposing that 

 it fed upon the white hellebore; but they 

 reared great numbers of them, for the plea- 

 sure of seeing them fight; and staked sums 

 of money, as we do with regard to cocks, 

 upon the success of the combat. Fashion, 

 however, has at present changed with regard 

 to this bird; we take no pleasure in its cou- 

 rage, but its flesh is considered as a very 

 great delicacy. 



Quails are easily caught by a call : the 

 fowler, early in the morning, having spread 

 his net, hides himself under it among the 

 corn ; he then imitates the voice of the fe- 

 male with his quail-pipe, which the cock hear- 

 ing, approaches with the utmost assiduity; 

 when he has got under the net, the fowler 

 then discovers himself, and terrifies the quail, 

 who attempting to get away, entangles him- 



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