no ANIMALS OF NO IMPORTANCE. 



their food. Quail have good healthy appetites. Three 

 thousand five hundred seeds of chickweed were once found 

 in the crop of a single quail in England. The males are 

 most pugilistically inclined, but it appears to be etiquette 

 not to fight in. the dark, hence light is generally shut off 

 from quaileries. The sporting Mussulman takes as much 

 pride in his fighting quail as our worthy ancestors used in 

 their game cocks. The quail does not, as a rule, breed in 

 India ; the eggs, however, must be laid very soon after the 

 birds have arrived at their northern residence. The nest 

 is a mere hole scratched in the ground. Those birds 

 which are compelled to spend the hot weather in India 

 usually breed in April, laying six or seven eggs. 



Quail used to be abundant in England, arriving in May 

 and going south in October. This smart little bird is alas ! 

 like so many others, becoming scarce at home. It would 

 seem that its visits to our little island will soon be a thing 

 of the past. 



