CHAPTER XIII 

 QUAIL 



Increasing scarcity in Britain — Irish bags — Quail in 1899 and 1893 — 

 Reasons for decrease — Netting in South Europe — The "catch" at 

 Capri — Quail pipes — April migration — Legislation by French Govern- 

 ment — London importation — Nesting habits — Quail fighting — Range 

 of the bird — Bustard-quail — Various bags — Old English sport — 

 Quail in the Bible — Notes on migratory instinct — Zulu and Boer 

 legends. 



IT seems certain that the quail does not, except in 

 rare seasons, now visit these islands in its former 

 plenty. Even in Ireland, where these charming little 

 game-birds have been more abundant during the nine- 

 teenth century than in England, their numbers seem to 

 have been steadily decreasing. Thirty or forty years 

 ago, and even later, it was not uncommon in the sister 

 island to make bags of from four to five brace of quail 

 in a day in certain localities. Now, even in Ireland, 

 the presence of a brace of these birds in the game bag 

 is a rare event. In England more quails seem to have 

 been heard of during the years 1899 and 1893 than 

 for many seasons past. These were exceptionally dry 

 years, and there can be little doubt that a droughty 

 and prolonged summer is more favourable to the pre- 

 sence of quails in this country than any other. It 

 would almost seem, indeed, that these birds were able 

 to foretell a dry season and to extend their migration 

 accordingly. It is probable also that in dry late 

 summers quails delay their southern migration, and are 



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