348 BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE 
the young had flown ... For half a century they have been 
unknown "* On October Srd of the same year, a solitary 
Quail was shot on Mr. Paterson's estate of Brocklehirst 
(Mouswald), as recorded in the Field, and the correspondent 
adds • " It was in good condition, and the keeper, who has 
lived in the district all his Ufe, said it was just twenty 
years since he had last seen one."t 
Mr R. Service records : " Early in August, 1896, a nest 
of eight eggs of the quail was uncovered while mowing down 
the corn at Rockhall (Mouswald), and two of these eggs 
were shown me by Mr. Irvmg. I also understand that, 
judging from the calls, there must be several pairs ot these 
birds in that vicinity, and in the adjoining parts of Lochar. { 
Mr N Menzies tells me he saw a Quail at Craigenputtock 
(Dunscore) at the end of August, 1899. Mr. J. E. Steel 
believes he heard these birds caUing in Glencairn m 1905, 
and a bird of this species is said to have been seen on 
the Hoddom Estate in 1906. Major Critchley writes me 
that he remembered years ago seeing a brood otQuai 
near Springfield (Gretna) and the Rev. W. McDowall 
informs me that he has been told of their occurrence 
in Kirkmahoe parish, but that he has not seen them 
^TuThare the records that I have been able to obtain of the 
appearance of the QuaU in this county ; many of the dates 
have been suppUed by my correspondents from memory, and 
may therefore be unintentionally inaccurate ; could tbey 
be adjusted it would probably be shown that marked visita- 
tions occurred at intervals of several years. 
The Quail in summer is found in Europe as far north as 
lat. 65°, and it ranges widely through temperate Asia, while 
some remain in North Africa ; it is at this season that it 
visits parts of Great Britain. In winter a considerable 
number sojourn in the countries bordering the Mediterranean, 
» Trans. D. and O. Nat. Hist. Soc, February 16th, 1894. 
t Field, 1893, Vol. LXXXII., p. 597. 
X Dumfries Courier and Herald, September 7th, 1896. 
