QUAIL 
to frequent the fields of young corn, lupins, peas, etc., and in countries 
where they are plentiful, their well-known and unmistakable call may be 
heard on all sides, though the birds themselves are seldom seen unless 
they are flushed with the aid of a dog. The male utters a triple note, low 
and soft, but penetrating, which may be described by the syllables whit- 
er-wit, imitated by the words “ wet my lips.” It is repeated many 
times in succession, and the female replies with a soft low call like whiu, 
whiu. On taking wing, when suddenly disturbed, the birds also utter a 
shrill alarm note. 
As a rule the quail is monogamous, but the males are said sometimes 
to mate with more than one female, probably in localities where there is 
a preponderance of the latter sex. The males are exceptionally pugnacious, 
and fight very fiercely with one another during the breeding season, the 
battles often terminating in the death of one of the combatants, or in 
both birds fighting till they are utterly exhausted and incapable of further 
effort. In India the sport of quail-fighting is a favourite pastime among 
the natives, and considerable sums are staked on the prowess of the captive 
birds. 
The nesting season does not usually commence until May, 
when a shallow depression is scraped in the ground in the middle of a 
corn-field, grass-field, or sometimes in a rough open common, and lined 
with a few bits of dry grass or dead herbage. 
Eggs . — The number of eggs laid varies greatly, from eight to twelve 
is probably the average number, but as few as six and as many as twenty 
are sometimes found. They are usually of a broad oval shape, but some- 
times pointed, and have little gloss. The ground-colour is yellowish -buff, 
the whole shell being thickly covered with reddish-brown, or sometimes 
olive -brown markings, which either take the form of small spots, or 
blotches of various sizes. The eggs, which are usually laid between 
March and June, according to locality, are very handsome, and measure 
about 1*2 inch by *9 inch. 
The period of incubation lasts about three weeks, two broods being 
sometimes reared in a season. The male does not appear to take any part 
in the incubation, but both parents usually accompany the brood. The 
young are able to run and follow their parents soon after they are hatched, 
and soon learn to pick up their own food. 
General habits . — The broods or “ bevies ” of quail do not remain with 
their parents after they are able to care for themselves, and the family 
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