470 NORTH AMEIUCAN nUlUH. 



iiiadu to introduce it in I'lali, and its aioa itroiuiscs to (ixtcnd much iartliov 

 west tlian its oiij^inal limits. This spL-cies lias also hoon aeclimatutl in 

 Jamaica, and now abounds in all parts of that island. Thoro they are said, 

 by ^Fr. March, to niaki; no nest, but to lay on the <,'ri)und, in lufts of j,'rass- 

 roots or under clumps of Ituslics, usually from twelve to twenty eg,i,'s. These 

 are smaller than with us, m(!asurin<,' 1.2") indies by an inch. Mr. March 

 adds that, during incubation, the male may usually be found sittiiif,' on a 

 low branch in the vicinity of the ne.st, but does not assist in incul)ation. 



The Quail lias also l)cen introduced into the islaiul of St. Croi.x, and is 

 now very connumi in al!no.st every part of it, being especially abundant in 

 the grass lands of the southwestern ]iart. Their hal)its appear to be some- 

 what modilied by their jdace of alioihi, as 'Sir. Xewton has several times 

 .seen birds of this species fly up frnin tiie giDund wiieii ihished, and jiercli 

 upon trees. He also states that, .so far as he could find, their nest is never 

 covered over, as descrilied by s(une writta's, but consists merely of a siiallow 

 hole scraped in the ground, in which is dei)osited a little dried grass or 

 "trash." the leaves of the sugar-cane. It is often phiced to leeward (if a 

 protecting cane " stool." 



This bird is probably found in all the New England States, though its 

 presence in Maine is not certain, and, if found there at all, is luily met with 

 in the extreme s(tuthwestern portion. It is also rare in Vermont and New 

 Hampshire, and only found in the southern i)ortions. It is not given by Mr. 

 15oardman, nor by l'rof(!ss(U' Verrill. Farther west it has a iiKire northern 

 distribution, being found in Xorthern Xew York and in Southern (Canada. 

 Mr. McHwraith gives it as resident in the neighborhood of Hamilton. 



In many parts of Massachusetts the Quail has become a very rare bird, 

 owing to the ravages caused by sportsMcn and the severity of winters, heavv 

 falls of snow being frequently particukrly fatal to them. 



The Quails are not migratory, rarely moving to any extent Irom the .spot 

 where they were hatched, even in ipiest of food, and are easily aifected by 

 scarcity of food or l)y the .severity of the winter season. In hi!avy falls of 

 snow they freiiuently huddle together on the ground, and alhnv themselves 

 to be buried in the drifts. If the snow is light, they can easily extricate 

 themselves, and run over its surface in quest of berries and the .seeds of 

 shrubs; but if the fall be followed by a partial thaw, and a crust forms, 

 the birds are made prisoners within its impenetrable cover, and miserably 

 perish of hunger. In the .severe winter of ]HG(') and 18()7, large numbers 

 of Quails thus perished throughout all parts of Massachusetts. When the 

 snow melted, they were fouiul, in numei'ous instances, crowded close together 

 and embedded in the frozen drifts. 



Unlike most birds of this family, the American Quail never collects in 

 large flocks, l>ut usually moves in small fanrily groups, varying in number 

 from ten to thirty, but too often reduced to a mere renmant by the inroads 

 of the sportsman. Wiien there are two broods in a season, the second brood 



