584 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF NEW JERSEY. 



COLUMBA, L. 

 O. livia. Rock Dove. Domesticated Dove. 



Of numerous varieties and breeds, whose description does not 

 belong to a catalogue of this sort. 



ORDER RASORES 



(OR GALLIN>E.) 



Family TETRAONIDJE. 



Grouse. 



COTURNIX, Bonnat. 



(Tetrao, L.) 

 C. coturnix, L. European Quail. 



Tarsus naked nearly to joint ; sides of toes not pectinated ; 

 cutting edge of lower mandible without serrations; tail very 

 short ; above light brown, streaked with buff bordered by black, 

 on back and rump ; wing coverts barred with dusky and buffy ; 

 breast cinnamon brown, with dusky spots ; buffy below ; a dark 

 patch on throat (absent in female). Length, 7 inches. 



COLJNUS, Less. 

 (Ortyx, Steph.) 



C. virginianus, L. Quail. Bob White (known as "Partridge," South.) 

 Nostrils unfeathered, protected by naked scale; tars.us bare 

 and scutellate; head not crested; plumage generally chestnut 

 red, barred and streaked ; forehead, line through eye, chin and 

 throat, white in male, brownish yellow in female. Length, 9| 

 inches ; tail, 3 inches. Similar to grouse, but smaller. 



" Resident. Abundant. Quails couple about the first of May, 

 and build a large nest of grass, on the ground, laying from ten to 

 fifteen eggs. A second brood is not usually raised. Weasels are 

 the most destructive enemies they have, not only eating the eggs, 

 but frequently killing the hen bird. The young are on the wing 

 by August, although their flight is feeble till the middle of 



