ii8 BIRDS 



Chinese Quail (Excalphatoria sinensis) 



The Otago Society received ten of these birds from Mr Winton 

 of North East Valley, Dunedin, whose daughter brought them from 

 China in 1897. They were sent to the aviary at the Camp, Otago 

 Peninsula, for breeding purposes. There is no further record of these 

 birds. 



* Australian Quail ; Swamp Quail ; Brown Quail {Synoscus australis) 

 (called Tasmanian Quail (Coturnix australis) by Hutton in 1871) 



The Canterbury Society received a pair from Lieut.-Colonel White 

 in 1866 ; they imported five in 1868, and a number in 187 1. 



The Auckland Society introduced four in 1867, and no fewer than 

 510 birds in 1871. 



The Otago Society imported three in 1868, and nine in 1870. 

 These were liberated at Green Island, south of Dunedin, and were 

 never heard of again. 



The Southland Society imported four in 1872; these were 

 liberated at Wallacetown. Of their progeny 25 were Uberated on the 

 Awarua Plains in 191 1, and in the following year the remaining stock 

 were taken to Mason Bay, Stewart Island. Regarding this last lot, 

 Mr Traill tells me (in 19 16) that they did not succeed. 



The Wellington Society introduced five in 1875, and 39 in 1876. 



The bird is almost unknown in the South Island, but is fairly 

 common in many parts of the North Island. I have frequently been 

 told in certain districts that "Native Quail" occur, and have always 

 found that it is the Australian swamp quail that is referred to. 



The Wellington Society report in 1885 that they "are rapidly 

 increasing on the West Coast between Waikanae and Manawatu, and 

 on the East Coast of the Wairarapa." In 1889 it is stated that "they 

 are spreading slowly, but owing to their keeping close on the ground 

 are kept down very much by cats, hawks, and other vermin." 



In the 1890 report it is said: "they fall an easy prey to cats, rats, 

 etc. They almost disappeared in some of the clearings in the Forty 

 Mile Bush, where formerly there were large bevies." 



On the other hand the Waimarino Society in 19 15 report these 

 birds as coming into the district from round about and being protected 

 till 1912. They are now increasing. 



Colonel Boscawen informs me that they are now (1916-17) very 

 common in the Auckland district. Mr R. Kemp got four of them in 

 1907 in the Hokianga district, and on comparing them with skins in 

 the British Museum found that they were slightly different from the 

 typical Australian form. I flushed two near Whangarei in April, 1919. 



