PERDICINJE. COTURNIX. ORTYX. 237 



dorsal line straight. Head entirely feathered. Tarsi short, 

 compressed, stout, anteriorly covered with two series of scu- 

 tella, posteriorly with two series of scales, but without spur 

 or tubercles ; toes rather slender, slightly marginate ; claws 

 slender, short, compressed, slightly arched. Wings with 

 the first quill scarcely shorter than the second ; tail extremely 

 short, much rounded, the feathers weak and decurved. 



The Quails differ from the Partridges chiefly in having 

 the head entirely feathered, the wings straighter and more 

 pointed, with the secondary quills shorter, the tail much 

 smaller, so as to be concealed by the neighbouring feathers, 

 and decurved. The males are said to be polygamous, and 

 extremely pugnacious. 



154. COTURNIX DACTYLISONANS. WANDERING QUAIL. 



Upper parts variegated with reddish-grey, and brownish- 

 black, and marked with whitish longitudinal pointed streaks, 

 of which are three bands on the head. Male with the throat 

 dark brown, and a double interrupted black band on the fore 

 neck. Female with the throat yellowish-grey. 



Male, 8, 14, 4J, T 5 *, 1 T V, if, T V Female, 7J. 



The Quail is extensively distributed over Asia, Africa, and 

 Europe, being in some regions stationary, in others migratory. 

 In England it arrives about the middle of May, and departs 

 in September ; but instances have occurred of its remaining 

 in winter both in England and in Ireland. It is not common 

 anywhere, and is very seldom met with in Scotland. Its food 

 consists of seeds, herbage, and occasionally insects ; and its 

 haunts are chiefly the cultivated fields and pastures. The 

 males are extremely pugnacious, and said to be polygamous. 

 The nest is a slight hollow, and the eggs, from twelve to 

 twenty, are reddish-yellow, yellowish-white, or greenish-grey, 

 marked all over with dark brown spots and blotches. It is 

 believed that this is the species which afforded the Israelites 

 the miraculous supply of flesh in the desert. 



Tetrao Coturnix, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 278. Perdix Cotur- 

 nix, Temm. Man. d'Ornith. ii. 491. Coturnix dactylisonans, 

 Common Quail, MacGillivray, Brit. Birds, i. 233. 



GENUS LXXXI. ORTYX. COLIN. 



Bill very short, strong, compressed ; upper mandible hav- 

 ing its dorsal line much arched, the sides convex, the tip 



