(_about one half Nat. size_)]
This beautiful little Quail is found all over China, the Malay Islands,
and in many parts of India, but is rare in the latter country, except in
Bengal and the neighbouring provinces.
"I have killed it," says Jerdon, "only once in the Carnatic. It occurs
occasionally in Central India and in the Upper Provinces, as far as
Bareilly, but it is rare in all these localities, and perhaps only
stragglers find their way so far. In Lower Bengal it is tolerably abundant
in low grassy meadows, the borders of indigo-fields, and in the grasses on
roadsides; and in Purneah, in the month of July, it was the only Quail I
observed."
This species breeds in July, the eggs being pale olive-green. When the
young are full-grown they spread themselves all over the country, and this
dispersion is greatly assisted and in many parts perhaps caused by the
heavy inundations to which great part of the country in Bengal is annually
subjected, generally in August and September. In the cold season they are
replaced by the Grey Quail and the so-called Rain Quail.
These birds, according to Bernstein, live by preference in thick,
extensive wilds, where they are easily hidden between high stalks of
plants, but nevertheless visit the fields and pastures in the vicinity
of dwellings. Their quiet and retired mode of life makes it difficult
to observe their habits. They take wing unwillingly, and avoid danger
rather by running or squeezing themselves through sheltering plants than
by flight. Their note is gentle, beginning loud and gradually becoming
softer, "du, du, du," or "du, du, hi." Their food consists of insects,
worms, and a variety of seeds; Bernstein himself kept them on grasshoppers
and various insects. He several times found their nest, which was in
a little hollow of the ground, scraped by the mother, and in this she
prepared her bed of dry grass, stalks, and roots. In none of these nests
were there more than six eggs; these are of a greyish olive-green, or
olive-brown, more or less thickly sprinkled with numerous olive-brown
specks. Bernstein tells us that these birds retain their shyness when
tamed, and often injure themselves by beating against their cage; but
Swinhoe says that in Canton they are highly esteemed as cage-birds, and
may be pretty regularly found in the markets there. Latham informs us that
this species, as well as the Common Quail, is used by the Chinese to warm
their hands in winter, as may be seen in many drawings and paper-hangings
from China, and that many of these birds are made into pies as a delicacy
for Europeans during their voyage home. They are caught in China as in
Europe by means of a call-pipe.
* * * * *
The BUSH QUAILS (_Turnices_) are small birds with slender bodies,
moderate-sized rounded wings, in which either the first quill is the
longest, or the three first are of equal length. Their tail is composed
of from ten to twelve narrow, weak feathers, and so small as to be
almost entirely concealed beneath the upper and lower tail-covers; the
medium-sized, straight, thin beak is high at its culmen and slightly
arched towards its tip; the nostrils are situated at either side of the
bill, and are partially covered with a small fold of skin; the delicate
feet have long tarsi, and usually three or occasionally four toes.
The Bush Quails are spread over the whole of the Eastern Hemisphere, but
are quite unknown in the western division of the globe. Australia would,
however, appear to be their principal head-quarters, for in that country,
according to Gould, they are met with in every part that has as yet been
explored, except in the neighbouring islands. Everywhere they select open
plains, stony tracts covered with grass, or mountain sides, and in such
situations lead a life so retired as to render their capture a work of
some difficulty, except during the breeding season. At that time both
sexes lay aside their usual shy, quiet deportment, and exhibit the most
fierce pugnacity towards all their companions. The strangest part of these
encounters is that they are not confined to the males, as is usually the
case, the females being fully as jealous and as violent as their mates,
and, like them, constantly engage in such furious encounters as nearly
to cost them their lives. Owing to this peculiar temperament these birds
are trained by the Asiatics as fighting-cocks are in Europe. The nest
is composed of grasses, and is placed in a hollow on the surface of the
ground, under the shelter of a tussock of grass. The female usually lays
four pear-shaped eggs.