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HISTORY OF 



The quail is by all known to be a, bird of jjassage ; and yet if 

 we consider its heavy manner of flying, and its dearth of plumage, 

 with respect to its corpulence, we shall be surprised how a bird 

 so apparently ill qualified for migration, should take such exten- 

 sive journeys. Nothing, however, is more certain ; " When we 

 sailed from Rhodes to Alexandria," say Bellonius, " about 

 autumn, many quails, flying from the north to the south, were 

 taken in our ship ; and sailing at spring-time, the contrary way, 

 from the south to the north, I observed them on their return, 

 when many of them were taken in the same manner." This 

 account is confirmed by many others ; who aver, that they choose 

 a north wind for these adventures ; the south wind being very un. 

 favourable, as it retards their flight, by moistening their plumage. 



quails to eat. With wind and weather in tlieir favour, they have been 

 known to perform a flight of fifty leagues across the Black Sea, in the course 

 of a night ; a wonderful distance for so short- winged a bird. Such prodigi- 

 ous quantities have appeared on the western coast of the kingdom of Naples, 

 in the vicinity of Netuno, that a hundred thousand have, in one day, been 

 caught within the space of three or four miles. Most of them are taken to 

 Rome, where they are in great request, and are sold at extremely high 

 prices. — Clouds of quails also alight, in spring, along the coasts of Provence ; 

 especially in the lands belonging to the bishop of Frejus, which borders on 

 the sea. Here they are sometimes found so exhausted, that for a few of the 

 first days they may be taken with the hand. In some parts of the south of 

 Russia, they abound so greatly, that at the time of their migration they are 

 caught by thou.sands, and sent in casks to Moscow and Petersburgh. 



In peaceful times we import great quantities of these birds from France, 

 for the table ; all of which are males. They ai-e conveyed by stage coaches, 

 in a large square box, divided into five or six compartments, one above an- 

 other, just high enough to admit the quails to stand upright, and each box 

 containing about a hundred birds. Were they allowed a greater height than 

 this, they would soon kill themselves j and even with this precaution, the 

 feathers of the top of the head are generally beaten off. These boxes have 

 wire on tlie forepart, and each partition is furnished with a small trough 

 for food. They may be forHarded in this manner, without difficulty, to 

 great distances. 



With respect to these birds having a distinct knowledge of the precise 

 time for emigration, we have a very singular fact in some young quails, 

 which having been bred in cages from the earliest part of their lives, had 

 never enjoyed, and therefore could not feel the loss of liberty. For four 

 eucoessive years they were observed to be restless, and to flutter with un. 

 usual agitations regularly in September and April ; and this uneasinesj 

 lasted thirty days at each time. It began constantly an hour before sun-set. 

 The birds passed the whole night in these fruitless struggles, and always on 

 the following day appeared dejected and stupid. 



There are twenty-three species of quaiU. 



