THE QUAIL 227 



of the morning.' Not unfrequently, while performing their transit, 

 they become weary, and alight on vessels, or fall into the sea, and 

 are drowned. ' Being at a small town on the coast, in the month of 

 May ', says M. Pellicot, ' I saw some boats come in with ten or a dozen 

 sharks. They were all opened before me, and there was not one 

 which had not from eight to twelve Quails in its body.' ' Enormous 

 flights are annually observed at the spring and fall, after crossing an 

 immense surface of sea, to take a brief repose in the islands of Malta, 

 Sicily, Sardinia, Crete, in the kingdom of Naples, and about Con- 

 stantinople, where, on these occasions, there is a general shooting 

 match, which lasts two or three days. This occurs always in the 

 autumn. The birds, starting from the Crimea about seven at night, 

 and with a northerly wind, before dawn accomplish a passage of 

 above sixty leagues in breadth, and alight on the southern shore to 

 feed and repose. In the vernal season the direction of the flight is 

 reversed, and they arrive in similar condition on the Russian coast. 

 The same phenomena occur in Malta, etc' 1 



On its arrival, the Quail betakes itself to open plains and rich 

 grassy meadows, especially where the soil is calcareous, and avoids 

 woody countries. During the early part of summer it frequents 

 cornfields, saintfoin, and lucern. In September it is found in stubble 

 and clover fields, and among the weeds growing in dry ponds, or it 

 finds shelter in any crops which may yet remain standing. In warm 

 countries it resorts to vineyards, attracted, it is said, not so much 

 by the grapes as by the numerous small snails with which the vines 

 are then infested ; for the crops of the late birds are generally found 

 filled with these molluscs. In locomotion it makes more use of its 

 feet than its wings, and when put up is never induced to perch on a 

 tree. Its flight resembles in character that of the Partridge, but it 

 rarely flies far, and when it alights makes awkward attempts to 

 conceal itself, but often fails, and may sometimes be captured with 

 the hand. In June or July, the female lays from eight to fourteen 

 eggs in a hole in the ground, and brings up her young without the 

 assistance of the male. Towards the end of August the old birds 

 migrate southwards, and are followed by the young. Before the 

 end of October all have disappeared, though instances have occurred 

 of their being shot during winter, especially in seasons when the 

 harvest has been a late one. 



The flesh of the Quail is considered a great delicacy, and many 

 thousands are caught, imported to the London markets, for the table. 

 They are placed in low flat cages, scarcely exceeding in height the 

 stature of the bird, for the reason that in confinement, the birds, 

 in their effort to escape, would beat themselves against the upper 

 bars, and destroy themselves. These are said to be all old males. 



Quails inhabit the eastern continent, from China — where they 



1 Colonel C. H. Smith. 



