THE ROCK BUSH-QUAIL. 119 



covey, or, in the rains, a pair from the strips of grass forming 

 the boundary between two fields. I fully expected to find this 

 species replaced by the Jungle Bush-Quail in the Panch Mahals, 

 but all I shot there belonged to this species." 



And again, Captain Butler remarks : — 



" The Rock Bush-Quail is very common in the plains of 

 Northern Guzerat and below Mount Abu, but does not ascend 

 the hills. Unlike the last species, it frequents open, rocky, culti- 

 vated and uncultivated ground, with low bushes for it to take 

 refuge in when disturbed. It begins to lay about the middle of 

 August, at which time of year they are always found in pairs 

 and lie very close. I have never met with it in thick jungles 

 like the last species." 



Although frequenting much more open ground, it is yet 

 scarcely more often seen, unless specially watched for, than 

 the Jungle Bush-Quail ; and, sparse as is the cover it affects, it is 

 still quite sufficient to conceal it, as a rule, until, on your almost 

 treading on it, it rises, the whole party exploding (if I may use 

 the word) simultaneously. 



Like the last species, they sometimes do perch. Writing from 

 Jhansi, Mr. F. R. Blewitt noted that :— 



" Walking early one morning with a pointer in the garden, 

 the latter suddenly pointed facing an orange tree. Curious to 

 know the cause, I approached the tree — when, suddenly from a 

 lower branch, four of the Bush-Quails flew away. Again the 

 other morning my spaniels were beating some low grass, and 

 flushed a Bush Quail, which flew and sat on the upper branch 

 of a large neem tree. These are the only two instances in 

 which I have seen this Quail perch on trees." 



Neither species affords much sport in the ordinary way ; 

 but if you have good small dogs that will work in the dwarf 

 jujube bushes, and are so clad about the nether extremities 

 that you too can bustle about in these comfortably, then the 

 Bush-Quail will, in many places, afford you as pretty shooting 

 as a man can desire. 



It is no use, of course, firing whole charges after mites of 

 birds like these that always drop within thirty yards ; a drachm of 

 powder and half an ounce of No. 10 or dust shot was what I always 

 used.* Their flight is extremely rapid, and they afford excellent 



* For the benefit of those who use (as most men do now-a-days) breech-loaders, 

 I may mention that cartridges for this kind of sport, and for collecting small birds 

 generally, may be very easily prepared Put in the one drachm of powder and ram 

 lightly down a thin wad, then fill in the cartridge with clean dry sawdust, tightly 

 rammed in with a thick paper or thin cardboard wad. On this place the half ounce 

 of No. 10 or dust shot. Put in the usual cardboard wad and close the cartridge 

 in the ordinary manner, It will be exactly the same length and look exactly like 

 an ordinary cartridge, but will always be distinguishable by its lightness. The 

 force of the explosion is so much reduced, that you may reload after this fashion 

 a good green case from 8 to 20 times according to climate. I scarcely use any 

 thing but these cartridges now. Up to 30 or even 40 yards they will kill Snipe and 

 Quail and all small birds as well as full cartridges. You may fire them from morninp- 



