270 THE BIRDS or DEVON. 



numerous, and in the following shooting-season many a bevy is en- 

 countered by the sportsman. Such a "Quail Year" occurred in 1870, 

 "when we knew of six nests having been detected in two adjoining fields 

 on a farm near Bridgwater. One of these nests was unfortunately cut 

 out, being placed among clover, and we were shown the eggs. In this 

 same year Mr. Kodd states that Quail were plentiful iu Cornwall. 



"In 1840 a Quail, on a nest with nine eggs, was killed-by a scythe in a field of Mr. 

 C. Prideaux's at Dodbrook. Polwhele has seen the eggs also in the parish of Sher- 

 ford " (E. M., Eowe's Peraiub. Dartmoor, p. 231). Mr. Henry Xicholls, of Kiugsbridge, 

 purchnsed the above-mentioned Quail and ne'.t, mounting the bird as a memorial. 

 "Quails have bred in Devonshire near Crediton [and] in a cornfield on Staddon 

 Heights, where the eggs were taken on August 1st, 1850 " (Morris, D. Birds, iii. p. 385). 

 A young one was caught by a boy near the Plymoutli Cemetery in the autumn of ]8(i2 

 (J. B. E., Trans. Plym. Inst. 1862-3, p. 08). A pair are said to have bred on Stoke 

 Hill, near Exeter, about 1860. 



Quail have been met with in midwinter on numerous occasions. Dr. E. Moore 

 mentions having purcluued one in Plymouth Market in January 1830, and two were 

 obtained in Devonport ^larket in January 1831, one of ihem, a male bird, having the 

 black crescent on the throat (Mag. Nat. Hist. 1837). One occurred at Dawlish in 

 January 1857 : and <ine was seen in the garden at Jsewport, near Topsham, January 

 27th, 1864. by Lieut. -Gen. D'Urban. who was well acquainted with this bird. One 

 was shot by Mr. \A'alter Rcgers at Halberton, December 3rd, 187<': this was a very 

 large specimen of a female, and is now in the A. M. il. Some of these birds occurred 

 at Plymouth in j^voveniber 1852. November 1853, October 1856, September 1860, and 

 October 1861 (B., MS. >"otes). One, August 23rd, 1885 ; and a male was observed in a 

 poulterer's shop at Devonport. Sept. 5th, 188(5 (J. G., Zool. 1885, p. 378, 1887. p. 377). 

 C)ne was shot at Lifton on the Tamar, four miles from Lauuceston, September 1870 

 (ZooL 1871, p. 2.521). 



The Quail occurs almost every season near Kingsbridge, two or three specimens 

 being sometimes obtained (R. P. Js'., MS. Notes). Mr. E. A. S. Elliot saw five or sis on 

 Burrough Farm, near Kingsbridge, October 17th, 1885, evidently migrating with a N.E. 

 wind. One was shot at Dartmouth by Mr. N. P. Oldreive in October 1891. 



Three were obtained in the neighbourhood of Torquay at the following dates : 

 September 17th, October 10th, and November 3rd, 1870 (J.' H. G., ZooL 1871, 2434). 



"Four.d occasionally in the neighbouriiood of Ashburton " (T. & K.). Several were 

 shot at Cherit(»n Fitzpaine at the end of September 1854. One at Stoke Canon, near 

 Exeter, November 1869 ; and one at Whitstone, near Exeter, September 6th, 1871 

 (R. C). One near Axminster, October 29th, 1883 (' Field ' for November 10th, 1883). 

 Some heard calling near Barnstaple on June 18th, 1868 (" Phoenix " in ' Field '). Large 

 numbers have frequently been brought ali\ e to Exeter from the Continent, and some 

 have been known to escape from the poulterers' shops. 



In North Devon, the " Great Field" at Braunton, a large allotment- 

 ground, was a favourite resort of Quail, and we have known of many 

 having been shot there from time to time during the shooting-season. We 

 have heard of others having been shot at various places throughout the 

 northern part of the county, and have ourselves been present in Korth 

 Devon when several Quail, rising in company with Partridges, have been 

 mistaken for " squeakers,'" and allowed to fly off unshot at. 



Lundy Island was once annually visited by Quail, and good bags have 

 been obtained in September, but some years have now passed since any 

 bred there. 



Dr. Bullmore states that the Quail is not rare in the neighbourhood of 



