THE COMMON QUAIL. 291 



least half-tamed birds, -which, by following the same plan, would gradually 

 become more and more accustomed to domestic food, the society of man, 

 and would certainly at last breed in the house, like our common fowls. 



THE COMMON QUAIL. 



Tetrao coturnix, Linn-eus ; La Caille, Buffon ; Die Wachtel, Bechstein. 



This species is the most common of wild poultry kept in 

 the house. It is rather more than seven inches in length. 

 The beak is short and horn-coloured, dusky in summer, and 

 ash grey in winter, like the partridge's and common fowl's ; 

 the iris is olive brown ; the feet pale bluish red ; on the upper 

 part of the body are dusky and rust-red spots, with some 

 small white streaks ; the throat is dusky, surrounded with 

 two chestnut brown bands; the front of the neck and the 

 breast are pale rust red, with some longitudinal dark streaks ; 

 the belly is dusky white ; the thighs are reddish grey ; the 

 quill-feathers are dark grey, crossed by many rust red lines ; the 

 tail is short, dark brown, with pale rust red streaks across it. 



The female differs sensibly ; her throat is white, and her 

 breast, paler than that of the male, is spotted with black like 

 the thrush's. 



Habitation. — When wild the quail is found throughout the old world. 

 Unlike the other species of poultry, it is a bird of passage, arriving in Europe 

 in May, and departing the end of September. Il keeps continually in 

 corn fields, preferring those of wheat. 



In the house, if allowed to range, its gentleness, neatness, and peculiar 

 motions, are seen to advantage; but it is often kept in a cage of the follow- 

 ing make : — A small box two feet long, one foot deep, and four high, of any 

 shape which is preferred ; in this are left two or three openings, one for 

 drinking at, the other to give light ; besides this all is dark ; the bottom 

 is a drawer, which should be covered with sand, and have a seed drawer at 

 one end ; the top is of green cloth, for as the quail often springs up it 

 would hurt itself were it of wood. This case should be suspended during 

 the summer outside the window, for the quail sings much more when con- 

 fined in this manner than if allowed to range the room, where there are 

 many things to call off its attention from its song*. 



* Here is another instance, in which man, seeking his own pleasure at the expense 

 of the well being of other creatures, deceives himself respecting the motives. The 

 poor prisoner does not sing to amuse himself, or from contentment ; its repeated 

 cries call unceasingly for the mate from which it is separated; and though they 

 have been vain throughout the day, he renews them on the morrow, no doubt, like 

 man. supported by hope,— a hope, alas ! which is never realised ! — Author. 



u2 



