82 Manual of the Game Birds of India. 



to the male only, is a clear flute-like note, 

 or succession of three notes, which, though 

 not very loud, can nevertheless be heard 

 at a considerable distance. This note 

 may be best represented by the syllables 

 clik-lik-lik) the accent being sometimes 

 on the first and sometimes on the second 

 syllable. The female replies by a double 

 note, low and unmusical, which appears 

 to be common to both sexes." 



Mr. Hume says: "Although Quails 

 move in flocks, they never, except imme- 

 diately after the breeding season, keep in 

 coveys, as do the Bush-Quail. There 

 may be thousands in a single field, but 

 each rises, flies, and drops on his own 

 account; and when Quail are scarce, at 

 any time from November to the end of 

 February, you will as often find a single 

 bird as two, three or more in one place. 

 In March \ think they begin pairing, 

 for in that month and April, if birds are 

 scarce, you generally find two, four or six 

 in any patch, not one or three or five. 



" They feed chiefly morning and even- 

 ing, and may, if closely looked for, be at 

 times caught sight of for a few moments 

 bustling about, feeding in short stubbles, 

 or thin low grass, or in amongst clumps 

 of the dwarf jujube bushes. They run 



