• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.266-268
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• 2003

This paper makes an analysis of the ecological behaviours of 3 categories of quails, namely wild Japanese quails from the Weishan Lake Area, medium-sized domestic quails and pint-sized domestic quails. The study indicates as follows: (1) There is difference in morphological and biological habits between domestic quails and wild Japanese ones. (2) The cross-breeding between the wild and domestic quails is a cross from exclusion to affinity. (3) The behaviours of quails such as pursuit,paw and mating are selective. (4) The wild Japanese quails and domestic ones can succeed in mating and in reproducing fertilized eggs but with a low rate. (5) Evolutionary differentiation has been formed in varying degrees between the domestic quails and their wild ancestors in morphological and ecological characteristics.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.1421-1423
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• 2003

Cross fertility between wild Japanese quail and domestic quail was explored in an experiment conducted on 18（3♂, 15♀）wild Japanese quails in Weishan Lake area, 18（3♂, 15♀）medium-sized domestic quails and 18（3♂, 15♀）pint-sized domestic quails, which were divided into nine groups. This study demonstrated that wild quail could succeed in crossing with domestic quail,producing fertilized eggs and hatching first filial generation. The findings indicated that there were no reproduction isolation between the wild Japanese quail and domestic quail, and that the best cross combination was between wild male quail and medium-sized domestic female quail, in which the fertility rate and hatchability of fertilized eggs amounted to 42.86% and 29.63% respectively. Based on the results, a new way could be adopted to protect, exploit and utilize genetic resources of wild quail.