### Clue: Contract secured by quail for device used on American rails (10)
### Answer: COWCATCHER 
 ### Explanation: Definition: device used on American rails
 CATCH(to contract an illness) **contained in**(secured by) COWER(to quail/to show fear by crouching down).
Defn: …, the rails, that is, that trains run on, and not the birds.
… to sit on when not catching cows, bisons, etc