506 QUAIL. 
in the Outer Hebrides, and not infrequently in the south-west of 
the mainland. 
In summer the Quail is found in the Feroes, and, though sparingly, 
as far north as lat. 65° on the Continent, while southwards it becomes 
more abundant, and immense flocks annually visit the countries 
bordering on the Mediterranean ; especially on the spring migration, 
when, as of old in Sinai, multitudes come up in the night and cover 
the land. The majority pass northwards, though many remain to 
breed ; in autumn, on the other hand, a considerable number sojourn 
in the south of Europe and the north of Africa, though the majority 
go further, and many reach Madagascar, Mauritius and the extreme 
south of Africa. There, as well as in the Cape Verde Islands, the 
Canaries, Madeira and Azores, a resident form (C. capensis) is found, 
and with this our migratory bird often interbreeds. Our Quail is 
widely distributed over temperate Asia, crossing the Karakoram 
(16,000 ft.) and other ranges on its migrations ; while in Japan, 
Formosa, China, Burma and the North-east of India it meets and 
breeds with another resident form, C. japonicus. 
The nest—a mere hole scraped in the ground, lined with a few 
plant-stalks—is often in a wheat-field, but sometimes in clover or 
grass ; and the eggs, 7-12 in number, are yellowish-white, blotched 
or speckled with umber-brown : average measurements 1‘1 by ‘9 in. 
Incubation lasts about three weeks, and two broods, or “ bevies” as 
they are called, are sometimes reared in the season. The food 
consists of slugs and insects, plantain, chickweed &c.—no less than 
3,500 seeds of the latter having been found in the crop of a single 
bird. The male utters three castanet-like notes, which is generally 
rendered in this country by the words “ wet-my-lips,” while the call 
of the female is a soft few, few. As a rule the male is monogamous. 
In appearance the Quail resembles a miniature Partridge. The 
male (in the foreground) is rather smaller than the female (in the 
background), and has two dark brown bands descending from the 
ear-coverts, terminating at the throat in a blackish patch which is 
not acquired until the second year. Length of the female 7 in. ; 
wing 4°4 in. 
Two examples of the Andalucian Hemipode, Zurnix sylvatica, 
are said to have been obtained in Oxfordshire, and a third in York- 
shire. No one who knows how sedentary and local this species is, 
will believe it to have been a genuine visitor. 
