THE CANADIAN SPORTSMAN AND NATURALIST. 



11 



In- threatens me, without, however, alarming 

 me, but il certainly does require u little addi 

 tional culture. Vincent Clbmewtl 



Peterboro, January 12, 1882. 



Note. — With the above letter from Mr. 

 Clement! we musl now close our columns to 

 amy further correspondence on this subject. — 

 Id. 



THE MESSINA QUAIL. 

 Dear Sir, — Prom the extensive orders sent 



to Sicily, for migratory quail, it is evident 

 thai earnest efforts will he made next spring 

 to introduce and naturalize in Canada this 

 valuable bird. Col. Rhodes, who takes a lively 

 interest in the success of the scheme, now 

 absent from the city, has forwarded me the 

 enclosed directions for keeping quai] in con- 

 finement, previous to letting them louse in dur 

 woods. I crave a corner in your journal for 

 their insertion. J. M. L. 



Quebec, Jan. 20, 1882.\ 



QUAIL IN CONFINEMENT. 



To Editor Forest and Stream : 



Eaving kept quail in confinement several 

 seasons for stock, I will give my experience. 

 I make a square coop large enough to keep 

 from eight to ten pairs. Two-thirds of the 

 way I put in a partition, with a hole in centre 

 of this partition large enough for them to run 

 through into the rear part. This hole con- 

 tains a slide-door from top on outside, so that 

 the birds can be shut in while cleaning the 

 front, and vice versa. The trout is made 

 entirely of slats, placed so near that they 

 cannot get their heads through to injure then!. 

 'I he back part is made quite dark, 'with door 

 for cleaning; in front part is a trough to 

 slide, with end projecting so as to give fresh 

 water often. They require their dust bath in 

 Confinement every day. This I provided for 

 by sweeping very dry dirt from some sunnv 

 places about a shed, placing it in the front 

 part of the coop. For feed, oats, buckwheat 

 and wheat, screenings, given alternately. I 

 made my coops six (6) feet long, four feet wide 

 and two high. Top is of boards with holes 

 bored in. These coops two men carry every 

 morning into a warm sunny place, and at 

 night they are returned into a building and 

 placed on stools as high as convenient, and 

 are made to stand well out from the side of 

 the buildins. 



The lege of bench should I 

 tin or something to prevent rat* oi 



ting al the bird-. In the above man: 



kepi them without losing a single bird. 

 Warres l 



West Haven, .lanuarv 6, 



Note. The introduction of these Quail into 



Canada has not yel been a success : m 

 the birds having been liberated laic in the 

 season*. Some few broods were reared, but it 

 has not yet been proved whether any return. d 

 during the following spring. Further efforts 

 are now being made by keeping the birds in 

 confinement during wilder and liberating them 

 as early as possible in spring; a better oppor- 

 tunity will then be afforded them of maturing 

 their young. A gentleman of this city has had 

 a number in confinement during last pear and 

 experienced no difficulty in keeping them. 



• THE RED CROSSBILL. 



(Loxia mrvirostra.—TLas. > 



As comparatively little is known of the his 

 toryof the Crossbills, I send a statement ol 

 my observations. About twenty years ago the 

 above species was a common resident in this 

 vicinity. During the monthsof December and 

 January they gathered in small flocks, and evi- 

 dently commenced to pair. Occasionally I 

 have seen the white-winged species, but these 

 never associated with their congeners. Every 

 one is familiar with the peculiar flight of the 

 yellow bird (Chrysomilris trisiis) during the 

 nuptial season. Exactly in a similar manner 

 the red Crossbill spreads its wings and tail, 

 and Hies in a fantastic manner on sunny days! 

 The female, in the mean time, may be seen 

 perched on some neighbouring sprig or prom- 

 inent place seeming to enjoy' the gambols ot 

 the male. Early in the morning they betake 

 themselves to the hemlock, pine, or tamarac 

 ridges, and may be seen at all altitudes and in 

 all positions on the cones in search of 

 Sometimes, head downwards, or holding with 

 elaws and bill directly beneath the cones, and 

 tearing the seed from its covering with much 

 ease. Their motions are graceful, and have 

 nothing of the jerk peculiar to the Sittse or 

 Picoidse.— About two o'clock, theyfly to some 

 neighbouring place to pick sand, and I have 

 seen as many as two hundred at one time 

 about ash heaps, on bare spots on the road, or 



