They breed with us, and the major part migrate fouth in autumn j
the reft only Ihift their quarters, as they have been met with on
the coafts of Effex, and in Hampfhire, in the winter-feafon, retiring
there in Oftober *.
It feeds like the Partridge, and like that bird makes no neft,
except a few dry leaves or ftalks fcraped together may be called
fo, and fometimes an hollow on the bare ground fuffices. In this
the female lays her eggs o the number of fix or feven +, of a
whitilh colour, marked with irregular ruft-coloured fpots : the
young follow the mother as foon as hatched, like young Partridges.
They have but one brood in a year.
Thefe birds are eafily drawn within reach of a net, by a call
imitating the voice, which is not unlike the words whit, whit,
whit. Other ufes of them are made in China than for mere
food; the one, for fighting, as we do Game Cocks ; another, for
warming the hands in the winter-feafon ; but for this laft purpofe
they ufe other forts as well as this fpecies J.
2jl, La grande Caille, Brtf. orn. i. p. 251. A.
Vaa. A. Le Chrokiel, ou grande Caille de Polognö, B u f, o ifn . p. 476.
D escr ip t ion . 'J 'H I S differs merely in being of a larger fize, and is found
in Poland. Alfo a Quail totally white is mentioned by
sdriftotle §.
* Br. Zool.—A Quail was fliot at Eritb, in Kent, by one of my brothers, in
January 1781. + Sometimes as far as twelve, but this is uncommon.—Br. Zool.
J; Both thefe circumftances we fee frequently in Cbinefe paintings, and not
unfrequently in the common paper-hangings from that country.
1! H iß. del oif. ii. p. 476#
5 Tetrao
Tetrao Chinenfis, tin . Syjl. i. p. 277. 1 9.
L a Caille des Philippines, BriJ. orn. i. p. 254. pi. 25. f. 1.—P I. cnl. 126.
(the female).
La Fraife, ou Caille de la Chine, Buf. oif. ii. p. 478.
Chinefe Quail, Edvj. pi. 247. (the male).
Br. Muf. Lev. Muf.
^J[ * H I S is a fmall fpecies, being in length only four inches *.
The bill is black; all the upper parts beautifully variegated
with blackilh and pale brown : the throat black : cheeks and
fore part of the neck white: on the cheeks is a line palling from
the gape through the middle, communicating on the fore part
with the black on the throat :■ the breaft is deep alh-colour,
marked with fome chefnut fpots : between the fore part of the
neck and the breaft is a band of black : the belly, thighs, and
vent chefnut : quills pale brown : tail very Ihort, chefnut: legs
yellow : claws brown. The Cock Quail is largeft f .
This fpecies is found both in China and the Philippine IJles,
and is frequently made ufe of by the Chinefe to warm the hands
in winter, as many of the paper-hangings from that country will
teftify. The females are bought up by the Europeans, to make
pies with on their voyhge home, and coft three kandarin apiece :
the cock Quail is larger, and more fcarce J- The Chinefe are
alfo fond of Quail-fighting, in the manner of our Cocks, to this
day |
* Edwards's bird meafures near fix inches, and is fpotted on the breaft with
black.
t OJbeck. t OJbeck Boy. i. p. 269. 303. || Edw. i p. 78.
CHINESE Qi
D e s c r i p t i o n .
Plxcs
Tetrao