several districts in England and Ireland where thirty or 

 forty years ago the Quail was comparatively abundant, 

 but is now virtually extinct as a breeding species. I 

 attribute this disappearance in a considerable measure 

 to improvement in cleaning the land for tillage, and 

 also to enclosure ; but the main cause of decrease 

 throughout Northern Europe is without doubt the 

 capture of thousands of Quails on the shores of the 

 Mediterranean during their vernal migration. 'To give 

 some idea of the extent of the destruction of Quails 

 caused by netting in these districts, I quote from 

 Yarrell to the effect that 160,000 have been taken on 

 the little island of Capri, in the Bay of Naples, in a 

 single season ; and in May 1874 I was informed by one 

 of the officers of a steamer then in the harbour of 

 Messina that they had 12,000 Quails on board alive, 

 all consigned for the London markets. These birds are 

 conveyed, very closely packed, in long flat cages, with 

 only just room for the prisoners to get to the feeding- 

 troughs. It is certainly remarkable what a small 

 percentage of deaths occur on the voyage and sub- 

 sequent journey across France by railroad. The birds 

 when first caught are thin, and fatten very quickly on 

 millet and other grain ; but, in my opinion, a cage- 

 fattened spring Quail at its best is not to be compared 

 for delicacy of flavour to those killed in August and 

 September in their native haunts, and I consider that 

 the sale of this species alive or dead should be prohibited 

 throughout Europe between May 1st and August 20th. 

 I have frequently observed notices of the occurrence of 

 Quails during the winter months in this country, in the 



