396 
QUAIL. 
day -break. Nets are spread on the opposite shore, and the bird-catchers, 
waiting- for their arrival, take them in great abundance. 
Such an account has all the appearance of theory, not only from the 
preconcerted plan of migration, and the unnatural time of flight, but 
also the time stated for the performance of so short a journey for an 
aerial animal endowed with such powers of rapid transportation. In- 
stead of the distance of one hundred and fifty miles, requiring the whole 
of an equinoctial night (twelve hours,) such a journey would with ease 
be performed in less than two hours. Besides, it is only nocturnal 
feeders that fly by night, as we have before noticed ; and these are 
either of the aquatic kind, or soft and long billed birds, (nocturnal birds 
of prey excepted,) who feel out their food, and are capable of finding 
it by other means than that of sight. Whereas granivorous birds 
cannot feed even by moonlight, and actually require daylight for all 
their operations, and sleep by night. In respect therefore to the mh 
grative part of the above account, it is unnatural and inconsistent with 
daily observations; but that vast numbers of Quails visit and revisit 
the borders of the Black Sea, twice in the year, cannot be doubted. 
*Mr. Galt, in his Voyages and Travels, speaks of the migration of Quails 
from the continent of Europe, in September, to Sicily. “ Being fatigued 
by their flight,” says that author, they are easily shot on their arrival. 
The pleasure which the Palermitans take in this sport is incredible. 
Crowds of all ages and degrees assemble on the shore, and the number 
of sportsmen is prodigious.” The number in boats is described to be 
greater than those on land, and all impatiently watching night and day 
the expected arrival of the Quails. “ Enviable is the lot,” says this 
writer, “ of the idle apprentice, who, with a borrowed old musket or 
pistol, no matter how unsafe, has gained possession of the farthest 
accessible rock, where there is but room for himself and his dog, which 
he has fed with bread only all the year round for these delightful days, 
and which sits in as happy expectation as himself for the arrival of the 
Quails.” 
The Quail remains all the year in Portugal, and we are assured by 
an excellent sportsman. Captain Latham, that he thinks they are more 
plentiful in that country in winter than in summer. 
That the migration of these birds was well known in the early part of 
the Christian era, is evinced by several passages in the sacred writings. 
In the passage of the Israelites out of Egypt, we find, in the xvi. chap, 
of Exodus, the following : — “ And it came to pass, that at even the 
Quails came up, and covered the camp.” Again, in the xi. chap, of 
Numbers : — “ And there went forth a wind from the Lord, and brought 
