High resolution locomotor time series in Japanese quail in a home-cage environment over a 6.5 day period (quail #2-group 1)

Each data point represents a 0.5s time interval (xi) in which the quail could either been ambulating (xi=1) or immobile (xi=0), over a 6.5 day period .The total number of data points is approximately 1.070.000. This time series has both a fractal pattern, as well as ultradian and circadian rhythms. <strong>This is the data from quail number 2, of the first experimental group.</strong> In this experiment in as a whole, the locomotor activity of 24 adult females quail (100-140 days old) was evaluated in a home-cage environment in a white wooden box measuring 40 x 40 x 40 cm (width x length x height, respectively) with a wire mesh floor. A metal bar wall divided the box in two same-size zones (feeding, nesting), and an opening served as a door allowing the bird to move freely between compartments. A video camera that automatically switched to infrared recording after lights were turned off was suspended 1.5m above the box. It was connected to a computer in an adjacent room and could be accessed remotely by experimenters. Testing began at approximately 1:00 PM, when 12 quail were placed in a box, and transported to a nearby experimental room. Each bird was then placed individually in the feeding zone of one of the boxes. During the following 6.5 days, the birds’ locomotor activity was continuously recorded. Testing ended at 9 PM the 7th day. Daily maintenance activities (egg collection, cleaning and feeding) were performed between 12 and 12:30 PM; the activity during this period was not included in time series, which in total implied a loss of 2% from the data set. Since only 12 birds could be tested simultaneously, two consecutive groups of 12 individuals were evaluated (group 1 and group 2). We used the commercially available ANY-MAZE@ computer program to register locomotion at 0.5 s intervals (xi). The locomotor time series (1.07e6 time intervals) of each bird was obtained by assigning a number one (xi = 1) if during the interval the bird was ambulating, or a zero (xi = 0) if immobile.

本数据集的每个数据点对应一段0.5秒的时间区间（记为xi），记录了鹌鹑在6.5天观测周期内的两种状态：活动时xi=1，静息时xi=0。数据集总数据点数约为107万。该时间序列同时具备分形模式（fractal pattern）、超日节律（ultradian rhythm）与昼夜节律（circadian rhythm）。<strong>本数据来自第一实验组的2号鹌鹑。</strong>

总的来说，本次实验对24只100~140日龄的成年雌性鹌鹑的运动活动（locomotor activity）进行了观测。实验所用笼具为白色木质箱，尺寸为40cm×40cm×40cm（依次对应宽×长×高），底面为金属网材质。箱内以金属杆隔为两个等大区域，分别为觅食区与巢区，两区间开设开口作为通道，允许鹌鹑在两区间自由活动。

实验箱上方1.5米处悬挂一台摄像机，该设备可在关灯后自动切换至红外录制模式。摄像机与邻室的计算机相连，实验人员可远程调取录制内容。实验于当日下午1点左右启动：研究人员将12只鹌鹑转移至邻近的实验室，随后将每只鹌鹑单独放置于一个实验箱的觅食区内。在随后的6.5天内，持续记录鹌鹑的运动活动，实验于第7日晚9点正式结束。

每日的维护工作（收蛋、清洁笼舍与投喂饲料）均在中午12点至12点30分之间进行，该时段内的活动数据未被纳入时间序列，最终使数据集总有效数据减少约2%。由于单次仅可同时观测12只鹌鹑，实验分为两组依次开展，每组包含12只个体（即第一实验组与第二实验组）。

本实验采用商用ANY-MAZE@计算机软件，以0.5秒为间隔记录鹌鹑的运动状态（记为xi）。通过如下赋值规则生成每只鹌鹑的运动时间序列（共1.07×10^6个时间区间）：若该区间内鹌鹑处于活动状态，则xi=1；若处于静息状态，则xi=0。