ANDALUSIAN QUAIL. 



ANDALUSIAN HEMIPODE. GIBRALTAR QUAIL. 



JTemipodiiis tacJii/dromus, ..... Gould. 



Turnix tacliydroma, ...... Tejimixce. 



Hemipodius. Semi — Half, and pom — A foot. Tachydromns — Taehus — Swift, and dromeus — A runner. 



A solitary individual of this little bird was shot on the 29th. of October, 1844, in 

 a barley field in Oxfordshire, within about three miles of Chipping Norton, by a game- 

 keeper, who a few weeks afterwards shot a second ; the first only was preserved, and fell 

 into the hands of Mr. Goatley, who was so fortunate as to obtain the Barbary Partridge, 

 as before related. The second specimen was so mutilated by the shot, that it was not 

 thought worthy of preservation. It is singular that no other birds of this species were 

 observed either before or since, for had they visited this country in the spring, as it is 

 possible they did, we might have expected a brood of young ones, which, if they had 

 survived the casualties to which they were exposed, would, by the end of October, have 

 been as strong on the wing as the old birds. Their motives, however, in visiting a 

 country, where they were so inhospitably received, can now be merely conjectured. 



On the continent this bird is found in Spain, Andalusia, Arragon, and Grenada. 



The Andalusian Quail is a bird of solitary habits, not being found in flocks like many 

 other birds. It is said to be fond of being among low underwood and grass ; and is very 

 difficult to flush; and when on the wing, it merely skims over the surface, and takes a 

 veiy short flight, dropping, in fact, as soon as possible. After being once put up, it is 

 extremely hard to raise a second time, and it will lie so close as to incur much danger 

 from the foot of the unwary sportsman. In many of its habits it would seem to resemble 

 our Landrail, or Corn-crake, (Crex pratensis,) running very swiftly, as its form indicates, 

 being admirably adapted to the tangled localities which it loves to frequent. It is said 

 not to migrate, nor even to remove from the district in which it was bred. 



Its food is reported to consist of small seeds and insects. The stomach of the one shot 

 in Oxfordshire contained "two or three husks of barley, several small seeds, similar to 

 charlock, and some particles of graveL' r 



