. Cassell's book of birds . th believes, with justice, that this bird, rather than the Coturnix communis,is the Quail of the Israelites. Colonel Chesney, indeed, writes of it as a kind of Quail aboutthe size of a Pigeon, which at times literally darkens the air with its numbers ; and Burckhardt tellsus that the number of Khatas in the stony district beyond the Jordan is beyond description ; thewhole plain seems sometimes to rise and fly off in the air in masses, that appear like large movingclouds. In the mountains of Edom they so abound that two or three are often killed at a time by a. THE K
. Cassell's book of birds . th believes, with justice, that this bird, rather than the Coturnix communis,is the Quail of the Israelites. Colonel Chesney, indeed, writes of it as a kind of Quail aboutthe size of a Pigeon, which at times literally darkens the air with its numbers ; and Burckhardt tellsus that the number of Khatas in the stony district beyond the Jordan is beyond description ; thewhole plain seems sometimes to rise and fly off in the air in masses, that appear like large movingclouds. In the mountains of Edom they so abound that two or three are often killed at a time by a. THE KHATA {Pterocles alchala). stick thrown among them by the Arab boys. At some seasons of the year an ass-load may be takenat one shutting of the clasp-net. This species, according to Tristram, abounds in the central andsouthern districts of the Great Sahara, and in wnter may be seen in packs or in large flocks. Thereis scarcely, he observes, a bird in nature which surpasses the male Pterodcs alchata in softness ofcolouring or delicacy of pencilling. Alas ! he adds, that such handsome plumage should clothesuch very dry bones. Their flesh being black and hard, is never seen at the table of the Franks, butis nevertheless eaten by the Turks. The Khata lays two or three eggs at a time, merely placing themon the ground. In size they resemble those of a Pigeon, and have a greenish black shell. The Arabseat them fried in butter. THE COMMON SAND Common Sand Grouse, or Rock Pigeon of India {Pterocles exusfus), the third speciesof this group, is principally of a beautiful reddish c
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Keywords: ., bookauthorbreh, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, booksubjectbirds
