156 
THE DWARF QUAIL. 
HE IS A GRACEFUL LlTTLfc CREATURE 
■' Master, my royal sire, do you hear who calls 
you? Love, my Demetruis!" "These are pretty 
quail-pipes ; the cock will croAv anon." The quail 
is a migratory bird, and seldom visits our British 
5;)^, shores until late in May. A few individuals, 
however, seem to reside here, — chiefly in the northern 
counties. 
In Cliina, Assam, Burmah, the Eastern islands, and 
in some parts of Australia, is found the dwarf quail, 
now regarded by naturalists as a distinct genus, and 
distinguished by a shorter and more rounded wing. 
The colouring of his plumage is very striking, — olive -brown, and 
reddish brown, and black, and white, and gi'ay mingling together in 
