220 QUAIL-FIGHTING. 



and obscured by Caesar's fortune ; and therefore he coun- 

 selled him utterly to leave his company, and get him as 

 farre from him as he coulde. Howsoever it was, the event 

 ensuing proved the Egyptian's words true ; for it is said 

 that as often as they drew lots for pastime, who should 

 have anything, or whether they played at dice, Antonius 

 always lost. Oftentimes when they were disposed to see cock- 

 fights, or quails that were taught to fight one with another, 

 Cczsar's cocks or quails did ever overcome. The which 

 spited Antonius in his mind, although he made no out- 

 ward show of it, and therefore he believed the Egyptian 

 the better." 



In Kircher's " Musurgia " the note of this bird is thus 

 faithfully rendered* : — 



j^ E 5 c= r = = ^=f^ Eg 



Bi - ke - bik, Ei ke - bik, Bi ks - bik. 



Quails have always been considered a delicacy for the 

 table, and those who may have the curiosity to visit the 

 London markets in the spring of the year, will see large 

 boxes full of live quails, which have been taken in nets 

 and imported to this country for food. 



In the same way immense numbers of Lapwings 

 ( Vanellus cristatus), or Green Plovers, as they are called, 

 find their way into the London markets. This bird has 

 been noticed by Shakespeare chiefly on account of a 

 peculiar trait in its character, with which most naturalists 



* " Musurgia Universalis," 1650, p. 30. 



