THE QUAIL. 



PLATE XV. 



Resembling the 



Class Aves. Order IV. Gallinacea. 



Hen. Genus Perdix. 



This well-known bird is a general inhabitant of North 

 America, from the northern parts of Canada and Nova 

 Scotia, in which latter place it is said to be migratory, to 

 the extremity of the peninsula of Florida; and was seen in 

 the neighborhood of the Great Osage village, in the interior 

 of Louisiana. They are numerous in Kentucky and Ohio; 

 Mr. Pennant remarks, that they have been lately intro- 

 duced into the island of Jamaica, where they appear to 

 thrive greatly, breeding in that warm climate twice in the 

 year. Captain Henderson mentions them as being plenty 

 near the Balize, at the Bay of Honduras. They rarely fre- 

 quent the forest, and are most numerous in the vicinity of 

 well cultivated plantations, where grain is in plenty. 

 They, however, occasionally seek shelter in the woods, 

 perching on the branches, or secreting among the brush 

 wood ; but are found most usually in open fields, or along 

 fences sheltered by thickets of briars. Where they are not 

 too much persecuted by the sportsmen, they become almost 

 half domesticated ; approach the barn, particularly in win- 

 ter, and sometimes in that severe season mix with the poul- 

 try, to glean up a subsistence. They remain with us the 

 whole year, and often suffer extremely by long hard win- 

 ters, and deep snows. Indeed, it often happens that whole 

 coveys are found frozen to death, or so extremely reduced, 

 as riot possessing sufficient power to fly. An instance of 

 this kind occurred in the centre of the city of Philadel- 

 phia. In the very severe winter of 1828, a quantity of 

 rubbish was removed from the large lot of ground at the 

 corner of Eleventh and Market-streets, under which a co- 



