THE COMMON OR GREY QUAIL. 145 



net, at first gently, but as the net is neared, vigorous and noisy 

 beating is suddenly resorted to, and the frightened birds rush 

 headlong into it This is generally the method adopted by the 

 professional Quail-catchers here, but amateurs and indigent Quail- 

 fighters often catch male birds on their own account in trap cages 

 containing call-birds." 



Coming in such countless multitudes as Quail often do, not only 

 mankind, but the " birds of the air and the beasts of the field" prey 

 largely on them, and many species of raptorial birds, foxes, cats, 

 mongooses, and the like, destroy numbers, the feathers of which 

 are to be seen scattered about everywhere, when they are plentiful. 



In some parts of the country they are hawked. I have never 

 myself seen this, but Colonel Tickell thus describes this rather 

 feeble sport : — - 



" In Singhbhoom, and in many parts of Central India, the Quail 

 is hawked by the natives. I have frequently been present at 

 this sport, which is tame but profitable. It is carried on entirely 

 on foot. A drove of cattle is driven as nearly into a line as 

 the unruly nature of the beasts will allow. The falconers, at 

 about ten paces apart, form a line in front of the herd, and thus 

 marshalled, the whole move slowly over the ground. The. 

 numerous feet of the cattle beat up every bird that may have 

 been passed over by the men in front ; and, as the Quail rises, the 

 nearest falconer throws his hawk at it, just as if he were 

 * shying' a stone. One would suppose that by such rude 

 treatment the hawk would simply be hurled to the ground and 

 killed or seriously injured ; but such an accident never occurs. 

 It is inconceivable with what skill and quickness the little Raptor 

 spreads out its tail and wings, glances along without touching 

 the earth, and, without an instant's check, continues its headlong 

 course till, in about thirty to fifty yards' flight, it clutches and 

 pins the Quail, bearing it to the ground. Its owner then runs 

 up, disengages the birds, smooths the Hawk's plumes, and grips 

 him again ready for another flight, while the Quail is introduced 

 to the game bag. Sometimes the former is allowed to taste a 

 little of the quarry's blood or brains, just to keep up 'the 

 interest of the thing.' The Hawks employed for this purpose 

 are a species of Sparrow-Hawk (Accipiter virgatus), vulgarly 

 known as the ' besra,' and a nearly allied species (Micronisus 

 badius), the ' shickra' of the natives. They are not carried on 

 the fist, as Falcons are when out in the field, but held in the 

 hand. The wings and tail being carefully closed and smoothed, 

 and the head of the little rapacious creature kept steadily to the 

 front, it is hurled (as above stated) like a javelin at the game 

 instead of being cast off as a Falcon is ; and, should it miss or 

 be unable to overtake the game, it perches quietly on a clod or 

 stone till taken up, if an old thoroughly-broken-in bird, or flies 

 off altogether, if not sufficiently reclaimed." 



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