444 
APPENDIX. 
from fatigue. From this circumstance, there can, I think, be no doubt 
that it came direct from America, as a bird of its powers of flight 
would not have been exhausted unless it came from some very great 
distance. It never became tame, though I had it in confinement for 
about two years, at first alone, and afterwards in company with 
other pigeons. It would walk backwards and forwards in a very 
shy manner when any one looked at it, and always avoided the other 
birds.” 
The account of this individual leads one to believe that it may have 
crossed the Atlantic. 
Quail, vol. ii. (preface, p. ix.) p. 66. 
The following note is interesting, on account of the inland locality 
it refers to. January 15, 1850. The Rev. George Robinson, of Tarta- 
raghan (county Armagh), informs me that during the late prevalence 
of frost and snow, great numbers of these birds have been killed 
about his place. Two or three dozen have sometimes been brought 
him of a morning on sale ; he buys them for twopence each. One 
winter, some years ago, when staying within a mile of his present resi- 
dence, and looking for quails, he could not see more than one or two 
in a day. He never knew them so abundant as this winter. 
Mr. Thomas W. Mulholland killed, during part of the shooting 
season of 1849-50 — from November till March, — in the Ards, county 
Down, about 120 brace. They were all shot within three miles of 
Springvale House, and many more might easily have been obtained. 
The greatest number procured in a day was nine brace; they were 
generally, during the season, in pairs, and a single bird was very rarely 
sprung. He remarks that a good shot, looking particularly for quails, 
which he was not, could easily have killed 300 or 400 brace. The 
former number (300 brace) is stated by the head gamekeeper of Mr. 
Ker, of Portavo, in the same county, to have been killed by him each 
shooting season of the last few years. 
