444 APPENDIX. 



from fatigue. From this circumstance, there can, I think, be no doubt 

 that it came direct from America, as a bird of its powers of flight 

 would not have been exhausted unless it came from some very great 

 distance. It never became tame, though I had it in confinement for 

 about two years, at first alone, and afterwards in company with 

 other pigeons. It would walk backwards and forwards in a very 

 shy manner when any one looked at it, and always avoided the other 

 birds." 



The account of this individual leads one to believe that it may have 

 crossed the Atlantic. 



Quail, vol. ii. (preface, p. ix.) p. 66. 



The following note is interesting, on account of the inland locality 

 it refers to. Jmmary 15, 1850. The Eev. George Eobinson, of Tarta- 

 raghan (county Armagh), informs me that during the late prevalence 

 of frost and snow, great numbers of these birds have been killed 

 about his place. Two or three dozen have sometimes been brought 

 him of a morning on sale ; he buys them for twopence each. One 

 winter, some years ago, when staying within a mile of his present resi- 

 dence, and looking for quails, he could not see more than one or two 

 in a day. He never knew them so abundant as this winter. 



Mr. Thomas W. MulhoUand killed, during part of the shooting 

 season of 1849-50 — from November till March, — in the Ards, county 

 Down, about 120 brace. They were all shot within three miles of 

 Springvale House, and many more might easily have been obtained. 

 The greatest number procured in a day was nine brace ; they were 

 generally, during the season, in pairs, and a single bird was very rarely 

 sprung. He remarks that a good shot, looking particularly for quails, 

 which he was not, could easily have killed 300 or 400 brace. The 

 former number (300 brace) is stated by the head gamekeeper of Mr. 

 Ker, of Portavo, in the same county, to have been killed by him each 

 shooting season of the last few years. 



