QUAIL. . ' ' 101 



reddish ash-colour. Flanks barred with greyish crescentic 

 markings. Tail-feathers chestnut ; under parts fawn-colour. 

 Bill, legs, and feet bright red. Length 13J in. Female, rather 

 smaller and duller. Young have no grey on throat, and very 

 little black on gorget. 



Language. A grating " chuk-chuk-chukar ; " but it is said 

 to utter a piping cry. 



Habits. Even more of a runner than the last. Very similar 

 to last, but perches more readily on trees or fences, &c., 

 than it. 



Food. Insects, seeds, green leaves, &c. 



Nest. May. One brood. 



Site.- -In shallow depression in the ground, among thick 

 herbage, &c. 



Materials. Dead grasses and leaves. 



Eggs. Ten to eighteen. Yellowish white, spotted, usually 

 speckled with dark brown. Shell thick, hard, and minutely 

 pitted. 



QUAIL (Coturnix communis). 



Migrant for the greater part, coming in spring and departing 

 in October; but some are resident. Found less abundantly 

 nowadays in England than formerly. Fairly common in the 

 west of Scotland ; much commoner in Ireland. 



Haunts. Both cultivated and uncultivated districts. 



Plumage. Generally sand-brown, with buff shafts to feathers. 

 Throat and collar white, margined with black. Fore chest 

 buff. Three parallel, longitudinal yellowish streaks on head ; 

 under parts white. Bill, feet, and legs yellowish brown. 

 Length 8 in. Female paler, and minus the crescentic collar 

 on throat ; chest more spotted. 



Language. Call-note of male, three piping syllables, usually 

 written "click-lik-lik," or "wet my feet." Female's call, a 

 low, musical dissyllable. Alarm-note, much like the Part- 

 ridge's. 



Habits. An expert runner, spending most of its time on the 

 ground. On the wing it is like a miniature Partridge, flying 

 with rapidly vibrated and whirring wings. Usually mono- 

 gamous, the males fighting very fiercely at mating time. 



Food. Insects, small slugs, seeds, and grain. 



Nest. May or June. Two broods sometimes. 



Site. In a little hollow scraped in the ground ; among 

 growing herbage. 



Materials. If any, a few dead grasses. 



Eggs. Seven to twelve. Yellowish white, spotted and 

 blotched with umber-brown. 



