CHAPTER XXVIL 



QUAIL, LANDRAIL, BUSTARD, SNIPE, 

 and WOODCOCK. 



NEITHER of the five birds whose names head this chapter 

 is, strictly speaking, " game," yet for all individually and 

 collectively the sportsman is required to take out a game 

 licence before he can legally shoot them. Such being the 

 case, they demand notice in this work, although the extent 

 to which they may be preserved is somewhat limited, 

 particularly in the cases of the snipe and woodcock. 



Quail. 



Of late years the quail has been a far less frequent 

 visitor than formerly, and even in the Eastern counties 

 its peculiar cry has almost ceased to be heard. When 

 quail extended their migrations to greater extent to these 

 islands a far greater number bred here and some 

 remained. This, however, appears to be becoming less 

 and less the case, and it looks as if we are likely to lose 

 the bird altogether unless the migrations should again 

 extend to Britain in increasing numbers. 



It is very questionable if it be possible to do anything 

 in the direction of introducing quails for sporting pur- 

 poses, and, if so, of overcoming their migratory instincts, 

 which are very strong. It is generally conceded that 

 quails will not breed in confinement ; but I do not think 



