100 GAME BIRDS OF INDIA. 



or brown band or collar, separated by some yellowish white, and 

 a few blackish spots on the breast and sides of neck ; the rest 

 of the lower plumage pale rufous, deepest on the lower neck 

 and breast, and becoming earthy on the flanks and vent ; the 

 long feathers of the flanks pale chocolate color, with a broad cen- 

 tral yellow stripe and some black blotches. 



The female chiefly differs in wanting the rufous brown patches 

 on the throat and breast, which is much spotted with brown ; she 

 is larger than the male. 



Bill horny brown ; irides yellow brown ; legs pale fleshy. 

 Length 1\ inches ; extent 14£ ; wing 4 \ ; tail nearly 2 ; tarsus 1. 

 Weight 3J to 4 oz. 



The European Quail is found throughout India, in considerable 

 numbers, during the cold weather, most migrating during the rains, 

 and breeding elsewhere, but a few pairs remaining and breeding 

 in various parts of the country, especially towards the West and 

 North-west. The Grey Quail, as it is generally termed in India, 

 generally rises singly or in pairs, but considerable numbers are 

 found together ; and, in some localities, and in certain seasons, it 

 occurs in great profusion, and affords excellent sport to the gunner. 

 It is found in long grass, corn-fields, stubble and fields of pulse, 

 wandering about according as the crops ripen in different parts of 

 the country. It is less numerous towards the south of India than 

 further north ; but in beating grass-lands for the small Florikin, 

 many are flushed. Dogs stand very steadily to Quail, and in the 

 cool weather excellent sport is to be had, fifty couple being not 

 unfrequently bagged by one gun in a mornings' shooting in the 

 North-western Provinces. In parts of Bengal, they also abound 

 much, and I have heard of seventy-five brace being killed by two 

 guns. I have received several authentic notices of this Quail 

 breeding in India, among other parts of the country in Kajpootana 

 and Bundelkund. 



The female lays eight to twelve eggs, dull whitish, blotched 

 and speckled with umber brown. Gunga, in the Bengal Sporting 

 Alaga-inc, says, that on one occasion, he found four whitish eggs, 

 dotted and blotched with pale red. The same good observer states, 

 with reference to the abundance or otherwise of Quail, that ' if the 



