92 NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Observations by Beauplan and Misspn. 



THE BENGAL QUAIL. 



THIS beautiful bird, which is larger than the 

 European quail,- has a dark brown bill ; the top 

 paVt of the head is covered with black, like a 

 cap, under which there runs a large yellow streak, 

 which is continued from the root of the bill to 

 the back part of the head ; the eye is encom- 

 passed with a large black line, which reaches 

 from the corner of the mouth to the other side 

 of the head, under which there runs a white 

 streak, or line. The under parts of the body are 

 of a yellowish or buff colour, except that part 

 next the tail, which is spotted with red. The 

 hinder part of the neck and back, with the co- 

 vert feathers of the wings, are of a yellowish 

 green, except a large division of a pale bluish 

 green, upon the pinion of the wings, and ano^, 

 ther pretty much the same upon the rump; the 

 legs and feet are a sort of orange colour, the 

 claws of a dark red. 



Beauplan, in his description of Ukraine, in 

 Tartary, says there is a sort of quails in those 

 parts, with blue feet, which are present death to 

 any that eat of them. 



M. Misson, in his voyage to Italy, observes, 



that vast quantities come into those parts every 



spring from the African shore ; and that they are 



o tired with their long voyage, that they will 



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