224 DAYS AND NIGHTS BY THE DESERT. 



and would, from the time of her punishment to her 

 return home, have done credit to her master even at 

 a field trial. 



Seldom have I seen quails so abundant, although 

 I have occasionally made wonderful bags of them 

 by the shores of the Mediterranean and in China. 

 From their extreme tameness on this occasion, I 

 should imagine that they had just arrived after a 

 long migration. These birds are identical with 

 those that occasionally visit our British shores in 

 fact, the Coturnix communis. Although I have 

 found this game little beauty scattered nearly all 

 over South Africa, it is only periodically that they 

 arrive in large numbers. Thus, in 1865, countless^ 

 flights of them found their way even into the 

 suburbs of Cape Town. Another quail is also found 

 in this part of the world, but it is very scarce, so 

 that for purposes of sport it is almost unnecessary to 

 enumerate it ; however, in the eyes of the ornitho- 

 logical collector it is a specimen of no mean value. 

 Its classical name is Coturnix histrionica. Mr. 

 Chapman, the well-known traveller and naturalist, 

 obtained specimens of this species in the vicinity of 

 Lake Ngami. 



But to return to my shooting, When I had 

 bagged about fifteen couple I despatched them by 

 my attendant to our camp, so that some might be 

 prepared for our evening meal. The afternoon had 

 got clouded over, and a fresh breeze sprung up, 



