COTURNIX CHINENSIS. 759 



commoner. Mr. Oates writes of it : — " The Blue-breasted Quail is common in many parts of the Pegu 

 plains. I first met with it in June, and throughout the rains it continues to be common. I am inclined to 

 think that it comes to Lower Pegu at the beginning of the rains, and leaves as soon as the business of 

 breeding is over." In Tenasserim it is sparingly distributed throughout the province according to Mr. Hume. 

 In the Malay Peninsula, further south than Tenasserim, and connecting this province with the Malay 

 islands, it must needs be found ; and in Mr. Hume's List of Birds of that region it is recorded from 

 Malacca and Nealys. It is likewise found in Penang, whence I have seen a specimen sent by Dr. Cantor. 

 From Sumatra it was recorded by Raffles, and from Java hy Horsfield ; and in Borneo it has been obtained 

 in Banjermassing by Mottley, in Sarawak by Mr. H. Everett, and in Labuan by Governer Ussher. North- 

 ward it extends to the Philippines, from which islands it was first made known, and where it is common in 

 Negros ; and thence it ranges to Formosa, and on the mainland it inhabits South China, being also found in 

 the island of Hainan. 



What islands form the connecting link between Java and Borneo and Australia I am unable to say ; 

 but this little Quail is evidently found on some of their intervening chain, and thus extends into the great 

 island continent. There it is found, according to Gould, in " nearly every locality. In some seasons," he 

 writes, " it is very numerous in such low and humid districts as are clothed with dense and luxuriant grasses 

 and other vegetable productions.'" It is not uncommon in South Australia, and I have seen it myself in 

 Victoria not far from Melbourne. 



Habits. — This little bird loves damp spots, and thus frequents low-lying grassy hollows in open jungle, 

 paddy- and watergrass-fields, moist fern-brakes, &c. It associates in small covies, and is not difficult to 

 flush, though when on the wing it does not fly far. Its flight is straight but not strong, and it takes but 

 little hitting to bring it down. In the south of Ceylon, where it is more numerous than elsewhere, it affords 

 fair shooting, particularly in uncultivated paddy-lands, where it is sure to be found among rank herbage. 



In the cinnamon-gardens of Colombo, where it is not uncommon, it affects the fields of water-grass grown 

 in the damp hollows by natives for horse food ; and in the evening I used to find it feeding in the stubble on 

 portions which had been cut : when flushed it would fly off into the tall standing grass and was difficult 

 to find again without a dog ; I am under the impression, however, that they do not run like many game-birds, 

 but lie very close after alighting, refusing to rise unless almost trodden upon. It is, as a rule, most silent, but 

 occasionally it will utter a low cheep, cheep, when put up ; and this I noticed particularly in the case of a 

 bird which I appeared to have wounded with " dust" shot on first firing at it. 



It thrives iu confinement, like other Quail, but requires a roomy aviary to dwell in. Jerdon says 

 little concerning its habits ; but he remarks that when the yonng are full-grown they disperse all over the 



five brace have been killed by two guns." The same writer remarks that they are netted in great numbers in some parts 

 of the country, and many are also caught in hair nooses. The Nepalese have an ingenious way of catching Quail. They 

 put a pair of imitation horns on their heads and walk slowly about the stubble-fields, twisting some blades of grass in 

 their hands in a way to imitate the champing of grass by cattle ; and as these birds are not alarmed by cattle, they succeed 

 in driving any Quail they see under a small net, which they then drop and secure the bird. Its note during the 

 breeding-season is likened by Col. Irby to the syllables quit que-twit. 



Nidification.—la. India the Quad that remain to breed lay in March and April. Mr. Hume describes a nest which 

 he found in the Purneah district as " a shallow saucer-like depression scratched by the bird and lined with a few blades 

 of dry grass. It was placed in a tuft of grass and dwarf Zizyphus on a ridge separating two millet-fields. The nest 

 contained nine eggs absolutely in the act of hatching off ; we caught," he writes " the female on the nest, examined the 

 eggs, found the point of the bills protruding in two, so put them gently back and put the mother on the top, where she 

 sat winking at us, but never attempted to leave the nest." 



The eggs, which are broad pointed ovals, are " clear yellowish or reddish buff, and they are thickly speckled and 

 freckled, or more thhdy spotted or blotched, with deep reddish brown, or at times bluish black. The average of nine 

 eggs is 1-16 by 0-91 inch." 



