93.  TURTLE DOVE. Turtur vulgaris, Eyton.  French, “Colombe tourterelle.”—­The Turtle Dove is a regular, but probably never very numerous summer visitant, arriving and departing about the same time as in England.  Neither Miss Carey nor Mr. Couch ever mention it in their notes on Guernsey birds in the ‘Zoologist’:  and Mr. MacCulloch, writing to me about the bird, does not go farther than to say “The Turtle Dove has, I believe, been known to breed here.”  In June, 1866, however, I shot one in very wild weather, flying across the bay at Vazon Bay; so wild was the weather with drifting fog and rain that I did not know what I had till I picked it up; in fact, when I shot it I thought it was some wader, flying through the fog towards me.  This summer (1878) I saw two at Mr. Jago’s which had been shot at Herm in May, just before I came; and in June I saw one or two more about in Guernsey.  The pair shot in Herm would probably have bred in that island if they had been left unmolested.

Professor Ansted mentions it in his list, but only as occurring in Guernsey, and there is one specimen in the Museum.

94.  QUAIL. Coturnix communis, Bonnaterre.  French, “Caille.”—­I have never seen the Quail in the Islands myself, and it cannot be considered more than an occasional straggler; there can be no doubt, however, that it sometimes remains to breed, as there are some eggs in the Museum which I have reason to believe are Guernsey taken, and Mr. MacCulloch writes me word that “Quails certainly visit us occasionally, and I remember having seen their eggs in my youth”; and Mrs. Jago (late Miss Cumber), who was herself a bird-stuffer in Guernsey a good many years ago, told me she had had two Quails through her hands during the time she had been stuffing; but evidently she had not had very many, nor did she think them very common, as she did not know what they were when they were brought to her, and she was some time before she found anyone to tell her.  The Quail breeds occasionally, too, in Alderney, as the bird-stuffer and carpenter had some Quail’s and Landrail’s eggs; these he told me he had taken out of the same nest which he supposed belonged originally to the Landrail, as there were rather more Landrail’s than Quail’s eggs in it.

Professor Ansted includes the Quail in his list, but marks it as occurring only in Guernsey.  There is a specimen in the Museum, and, as I said before, several eggs.

95.  WATER RAIL. Rallus aquations, Linnaeus.  French, “Rale d’eau.”—­The Water Rail is not very common in Guernsey, but a few occur about the Braye Pond, and in other places suited to them; and, I believe, occasionally remain to breed, as Mr. Jago, the bird-stuffer, told me he had seen a pair of Water Rails and four young, his dog having started them from a hedge near the Rousailleries farm; the young could scarcely fly.  I saw one at the bird-stuffer’s at Alderney, which had been shot in that Island; and the bird-stuffer told me they were common, and he believed they bred there, but he had no eggs.  Their number, however, is, I think, rather increased in the autumn by migrants; at all events, more specimens are brought to the bird-stuffers at that time of year.  I have before mentioned the incident of the Water Rail being killed by the Merlin, recorded by Mr. Couch in the ‘Zoologist’ for 1875.