68 TETRAONID.E. 



period, and of these, two were seen together in the month of January 

 or February. 



When treating of the ptarmigan, I alluded to the singular fact 

 of its presence on the mountain tops of Islay and Jura, and of 

 its absence from those even of superior altitude in the north of 

 Ireland, though of similar, mineralogical structure, as in Done- 

 gal, &c. The quail, however, presents an instance of the opposite 

 character, by its extreme rarity in Islay and the other islands, and 

 all the parts of the mainland of Scotland nearest to Ireland, 

 although common here. Around Port Ballantrae, on the northern 

 coast of Antrim (that part of the latter country nearest to Islay), 

 I was particularly struck with this difference, on hearing quails 

 daily, during the month of June 1842, though grain is but very 

 partially cultivated there. The whole aspect, too, of the mari- 

 time portions of the county of Antrim, as to cultivation, &c. is 

 very similar to that of the opposite parts of Scotland. 



Montagu, writing in 1802, says, with respect to England, probably in 

 reference to the south, where he resided, that these birds are " in much 

 less quantity than formerly." Mr. Selby, in 1825, remarks, that " they 

 now visit us in much fewer numbers than they formerly did, and their 

 appearance in the midland and northern counties of England has of 

 late years been a rare occurrence." With reference to Swansea, in Wales, 

 we are told, that, the " Quail is rarely seen hereabouts ; but throughout 

 one summer, about thirty years ago, there was a large bevy on the 

 Townhill, and another smaller one in Gower."* 



That quails were common in this island nearly three centuries 

 ago, is indicated in the following extract from ' A Brife Descrip- 

 tion of Ireland made in the yeere 1589, by Eobert Payne:' — 

 " There be great store of wild swannes, cranes, phesantes, par- 

 triges, heathcocks, plouers, greene and gray, curlewes, woodcockes, 

 rayles, quailes, and all other fowles much more plentifull than in 

 England. You may buy a dosen of quailes for iii.d., a dosen of 

 woodcockes for iiii.d., and all other fowles ratablie."f 



* Dillwyn. Fauna and Flora of Swansea, p. 7 (1848). 



f Reprinted in Tracts relating to Ireland, published for the Irish Archselogical 

 Society: Dublin, 1841. 



