UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT AT ACCLIMATIZATION. 93 



position of that island and its proximity to Cuba, it 

 is quite possible, nay probable, that the Virginian 

 partridge is found there, more particularly as it has 

 long been known to be an inhabitant of the Queen of 

 the Antilles. 



The beautiful plumed bird, known on the west 

 coast of America as Californian quail, is also not a 

 quail according to the authorities that I can gain in- 

 formation from, but a true hemipode, or very closely 

 allied to it, such as are the courseurs of Northern 

 Africa and the Turnix lepurana of interior tropical 

 Africa. The names of both the last-mentioned, 

 more or less, express their running proclivities, but 

 I doubt very much if they can excel in this agility 

 the erroneously so-called Californian quail. In their 

 own home these birds are unquestionably very 

 hardy, but I have never heard of successful attempts 

 being made to acclimatize them elsewhere. The 

 Danish Consul at Hong Kong and myself made the 

 experiment. A mutual friend, Captain Linnell, of 

 the clipper ship Flying Mist, brought us over from 

 California twenty couple of these birds. They ar- 

 rived in good health and condition, and were at once 

 allotted and consigned to homes. One half to the 

 peninsula beyond the garrison of Stanley, Hong Kong, 

 the remainder to Shangmoon Valley, on the Chinese 

 mainland, and opening out into Meers Bay. A beau- 

 tifully sequestered place, with all the requisites as far 

 as a human being could judge necessary to their 

 comforts and existence. Ultimately, however, they 

 disappeared, so all our efforts were in vain. 



Mr. W. further remarks, " they Americans 



call grouse, partridge." This is quite true as re- 

 gards the inhabitants of the New England States, the 

 Maritime Provinces and Newfoundland , but further 

 south the same bird (Tetrao umbellus] is dubbed 

 a pheasant. The wapiti deer (Cervus Canadensis] 

 on the foot hills and in the Rockies is invari- 



