148 Practical Game Preserving. 



following list is scanned through : The seeds of the chick- 

 weeds, vetches (wild), Persicaria dock, plantain, orache, 

 rushes, and spret, the more succulent green portion of these 

 and many other plants, grain in very small quantities, slugs 

 and ground insects of all sorts. The quail is a fairly hardy 

 bird ; indeed, considering the semi-tropical parts from which 

 it is said to spring, it is uncommonly hardy, but it becomes 

 very poor in winters when there is much snow. As a bird 

 of sport it is much derided, and it is said to be an arrant 

 creeper. We think otherwise ; if one has a sharp, bustling 

 dog they get up quickly and well, and are not half-easy 

 to be certain of. This being so, there is certainly some 

 reason for advocating a more extensive recourse to the 

 quail for sporting purposes. It is a well-known fact among 

 those who are qualified to speak upon the subject, that the 

 quail is capable of preservation. If a dozen or so be kept 

 some little time, say a month or so, in confinement, and 

 be then turned out in the fields, they do not migrate, but 

 take up their permanent abode and breed in the near 

 neighbourhood of the place. Quails, unfortunately, refuse 

 to breed in confinement. We had some for several years 

 in a run of fair size, but they never seemed to show an 

 inclination to breed. What they might do when kept 

 within a large area, say a wire-netting inclosure of some 

 30 yards by 20 yards, we cannot say, but should judge they 

 would be equally implacable. Hence a considerable diffi- 

 culty, as eggs thus become practically unobtainable. Under 

 the circumstances, it becomes necessary to purchase birds 

 if one would seek, by turning them away, to originate a 

 small stock. In the months of April and May enormous 



