So



Practical Bird-Keeping. — X. Quails.



kept in readiness to be placed over in case of heavy rain. Care

was taken that the run was placed on good turf in a dry situation.


Into such a run the hen Quail with her brood is driven

as soon after they leave the nest as possible. Ants’ nests are

searched for and dug up (enough can usually be found in any

fair-size garden) and a tin of ants and their eggs kept in readiness

to supply the chicks at frequent intervals. After a day or two

finely chopped yolk of egg is supplied and readily taken by the

chicks, which after a short time will take coarser soft food con¬

sisting of chopped egg, breadcrumbs and finely chopped chick-

weed. Seed, in the form of millet and Canary, must be supplied

for the mother, and it is surprising how soon the chicks also will

take to eating this.


A dusting bath— consisting of aheap of dry lime rubbish

and sharp sand—must not be omitted from the run. About once

a week it is desirable to move this run on to fresh ground, and

when the young birds are about three weeks old they can be let

out with their mother into the aviary again. It is desirable,

however, to clip the feathers of one wing to prevent their flying

up and damaging their heads against the top of the aviary. In

fact most Quails in captivity are best pinioned so that it is

impossible for them to fly against the aviary roof. The American

Quails however are great perchers and should be left with full

wings.


I know of few prettier sights than that presented by a

brood of newly-hatched Chinese Quails, little larger than bumble¬

bees, as they follow their mother through the grass, or rush to

her call when she captures some tiny insect.



