in Great Britain during the Nesting-season. 429 • 



of Gloucestershire ; but some confirmation of this last locality 

 appears desirable. r 



CoTURNix COMMUNIS {Bonu.). Commou Quail. 

 Provinces I.-XVIL 

 Subprovinces 2-8, 9, lo, 11, 13, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19-23,24-29, 



30, 31, 32, 35. 

 Lat. 50°-59°. " British " type, or general. 



Thinly scattered, during the breeding-season, from the soutb 

 of England to the very north of Scotland. Yet there are few 

 counties in which the Quail is considered to breed annually ; nor 

 can these be grouped in any manner so as to show where the 

 species is most numerous. 



It has certainly decreased of late years in several districts, and 

 this apparently not owing to any cause that can be discovered. 

 In the west of Ireland the same diminution has been noticed. 

 In former times I am informed that the Quail was reckoned as 

 one of the regular winter visitors on the west side of the sister 

 island, but it has not been so much observed of late years. It is 

 still considered to breed annually about Belfast, and in county 

 Armagh I have myself heard its note during the breeding-season. 

 The bird is probably better known in the north-east of Ireland 

 than in any part of England or Scotland. 



If there is any difference, the range of the Quail seems to in- 

 cline rather to the east side of Great Britain, as well as of Ireland, 

 during the breeding-season. It seems to occur chiefly in the 

 south of England during winter. 



Otis tarda (Linn.). Great Bustard. 

 Provinces [II.] [IV.] [VIII.] [X.] 

 Subprovinces (4), (5), (6), (10), (11), (12), (19), (22). 

 Lat. 50°-55°. " Germanic " type. Not in Ireland. 



In former times the Great Bustard was well known as inha- 

 biting the downs of the south of England, the heaths in a few of 

 the eastern counties, and the wolds of Yorkshire. 



Its breeding-range included the counties of Wilts, Dorset 

 {Rev. J. H. Austen), Hants, Sussex, Suffolk, Norfolk, Cam- 

 bridge, Lincoln, and Yorkshire. Montagu tells us that " these 



N. S. VOL. I. 2 H 



