
po Ciao 
8 THE NATURAL HISTORY 
that cafe their flefh would occafion convulfions, 
but now they are efteemed a delicacy. When 
2h have plenty of food they become very fat. 
_ They feldom perch on trees, but will lie for 
Wetes together among the grafs on one fide, with 
their legs ftretched out. 
It is very feldom that they fy; the male, when 
-he hears the cry of the female, will run a long 
way among the grafs, rather than ufe his wings. 
. In the winter it is faid that they fometimes bur- 
row under the {now, and they have been found 
in a torpid ftate in ant hills. _ 
It is thought that Quails live but four or five 
years. In fome towns in Italy, as well as in 
China, fome unthinking people amufe themfelves< 
by putting two Quails to fight: they are placed — 
oppofite to each other at different ends of a long 
table, and fome grains of millet are thrown be- 
tween them ; they inilantly attack one another, 
and fight until one gives way. Formerly fome 
have amufed themfelves by a kind of a battle be- 
‘tween a Quail and a Man: the Quail was placed 
in.an enclofure, in the middle of which a circle 
was traced, the man was allowed to ftrike the 
head or the beak of the bird with one finger, or 
to pull out a feather; if the Quail in defending | 
itfelf 

