POULTRY TRIBE. 275 



alight on the coasts of the Black Sea, near the 

 Bosphorus, and are caught by means of nets 

 spread on high poles, against which the birds, 

 exhausted by their passage over the sea, strike 

 themselves, and fall." 



Madden mentions that they visit Egypt in 

 immense flights about harvest time, when the 

 Arabs take them, by thousands, in nets. A 

 French author says, that in a small island off the 

 coast of Egypt, these birds usually alight in 

 autumn, and are taken in immense quantities; 

 and after being stripped of their feathers are dried 

 in the hot sands, for about a quarter of an hour, 

 and then sold for a penny a pound. The object 

 of the Israelites, in spreading them round the 

 camp, was, therefore, to dry them. Thus, observes 

 Mr. Yarrell, " we see the most ancient and vener- 

 able of all histories, the word of God, and natural 

 history, in perfect accordance ; and we also learn 

 how abiding and enduring are the works of the 

 Lord. Here, through 3300 years, we find the 

 perpetuation of an instinct, accompanied by a 

 peculiarity, which is still observed, that of these 

 migratory flights being made by night. ' And it 

 came to pass, that at even the quails came up, 

 and covered the camp.' " 



The quail was honoured by the Phoenicians as 

 having saved Hercules ; a myth which may pro- 



T 2 



