CLXvr. 



COTURNIX VIRGINIANA. 



Virginian Quail. 



Although, like the Pheasant and the Red-legged Par- 

 tridge, this species is a forced rather than a voluntary vi- 

 sitant of this country, and one of but recent date, I have 

 followed Mr. Yarrell in admitting it to our list, as it will 

 probably, in a few more years, become extensively natu- 

 ralized and widely dispersed over the country, — Mr. J. 

 Hancock has obtained a specimen shot in Northumberland, 

 and another has been killed near Bristol. 



Mr. Yarrell quotes a letter of the Rev. Richard Lubbock, 

 in which it is stated that a nest, supposed to be that of this 

 species, — the man who found it, and who saw the bird, 

 having stated that it resembled a Partridge in its flight, 

 being much smaller, — was found at Barton, in Norfolk, 

 some years ago. Mr. Salmon obligingly sent me some of 

 these eggs — which were in his collection — to look at, and I 

 do not hesitate to say that they are those of the same bird 

 as the one now figured — an American specimen — from the 

 cabinet of ray kind friend Mr. Yarrell. 



The following interesting account is copied from his 

 book; it is communicated by a gentleman who had some 

 of these birds in his garden. 



" Towards the end of May I perceived one of the cock 

 birds carrying straws, and twisting them about over his 

 head, and I found they were making a nest within a bun- 

 dle of pea-sticks. This nest was the joint production of 

 male and female; it was placed on the ground within the 

 pea-sticks, and shaped much like a wren's, with a hole on 

 one side and covered over at top. After the hen had laid 

 about twelve eggs she began to sit, and with as much assi- 

 duity as our common hen. When I thought it was her time 

 to hatch I examined her nest, and found it deserted, and 



