Nesthifj of (^iiaila. 
laid ;if,';iiii. I luive omitted to say that tlio wcix' a very 
li^iit ImiV almost wiiilr: size 1. 00 x 8;'). 
On liii' 2411i till' young were rull\' featlicnMl except 
on tlie ei'owii and abdomen. On tiie 2()tli I was interested 
lo sec them i-ating earth, Ihoug-li wiial tiie objert was I camiot 
imagine, a- lln'v liad plenty of grit perhaps for medicinal 
[lurpo^es On liie 1st March there were only three left of the 
original six, and I Ix'gau to despaii" of fully I'eai'ing any, but 
aflei' that date the wcathei' im])r()ved, the sun gave us a look 
up ami tlie little Argoondahs took a fresh gri^) of lif(>. The 
remaining tliree were ail reared and turned out strong and 
handsome little Inrds. I^y the Dth February they were well 
foatliered on the crown, the moustatdiial stieak liad disappeared 
and the tdueks were coveriMl with dark feathers with Indght 
eontres. All tliis time the lien had been laying and l>y the 
2(5th she had a ciutcii of no less than 14 eggs, of which [ ic- 
moved (i. From this second (dutch three more young bii'ds 
w(^re reared. At the age of seven weeks the young were 
fully feathered and quite independent (Mr. Seth Smith gives 
live weeks for Colunii.r) and the young males could l)e easily 
distinguished by their barred breasts, though it is singular that, 
from t!ie 5th to the 7th week, llie l)reasts of tlie females also 
shewed distinct traces of barring. The photo gives a good 
idea of the young at the age of oru' month. 
As I have now parted with my Argoondahs I can say 
w ithout fear of being misunderstood that I do not know any 
of the smaller Quails more charming or more suitable for 
aviculture than this, being very hardy, ((uite easy to Ijrced 
and most delightfully tame (although by the way, i)r. Russ 
considers the species wild*) To my great regi'et the clear, 
ringing, musical, call-notes, with wdiich the male .Vrgoondaii 
used to herald the dawn of day, are no longer heard in the 
aviary. But life is full of partings! 
THE WHITE-CHEEKED CRESTED QUAIL. 
This species differs very markedly in almost every 
characteristic from the one above described. It belongs to the 
* Russ says—" Lately introduced into the trade by Gaetano 
Afri of Trieste is unfortunately pugnacious and 
timid and dillieuit to t;ime, otherwise it would t)e an oi'nanient tf 
the bird -room." 
