Bob-White 139 



tjrpical fonn of one of these only is found in Colorado. It is possible 

 that the Texan subspecies (C. i\ texanus) may reach south-east Colorado. 

 It is distinguished by its slightly smaller size — wing 4-4, by its 

 heavier brown barring below, and its less reddish tone above. 



Bob-white Colinus virginianus. 



A.O.U. Checkhst no 289— Colorado Records— Drew 85, p. 14 ; 

 Morrison 89, p. 181 ; Kellogg 90, p. 87 ; Bendire 92, p. 1 ; Cooke 97, 

 pp. G9, 201 ; DiUe 03, p. 74 ; Henderson 03, p. 235 ; 09, p. 228 ; Judd 

 05, pp. 9-46 ; Warren 06, p. 19 ; Rockwell 08, p. 160. 



Description.- — Male — Above and the fore-neck chiefly rufous-chestnut, 

 variegated and mottled with grey, black and tawny-yellow ; the rump 

 and tail chiefly grey ; the edges of the tertials chiefly tawny ; a strong 

 superciliary line and the throat white, bordered by black ; rest of the 

 under-parts whitish with transverse double crescentic bars of black, 

 and a few stripes of chestnut on the sides ; iris brown, bill dark brown, 

 paler at the base of the lower mandible, legs brownish-grey. Length 

 9-0 ; wing 4-5 ; tail 2-6 ; culmen -55 ; tarsus 1-15. 



The female has the suiaerciUiun and throat buffy-yellow with less 

 black around, and is less distinctly marked generally ; it is a trifle 

 smaller — wing 4-35. 



Distribution. — Eastern North America from Maine and southern 

 Ontario to northern Florida, westwards to south Dakota and eastern 

 Colorado. 



The Bob-white did not extend much beyond central Kansas in the 

 middle of last centvuy, but with the spread of settlement it has extended 

 its range westwards over the prairies to the eastern portion of Colorado ; 

 while at the same time it has been introduced by human agency all 

 along the foothills-country from Pueblo to Fort CoUins. It is also to 

 be found in Estes Park and Wet Mountain Valley, at La Junta and near 

 Grand Junction, where it has doubtless been introduced as well. 



Bob-whites are not uncommon in the south-east corner of the State 

 (Warren), but whether these are the eastern or Texan form is uncertain. 

 It is probably a resident throughout its range. 



Habits. — The Bob-whites prefer fairly open, cultivated 

 lands, meadows and pastures, with patches of bush and 

 briars where they can take shelter. They are generally 

 to be found in small coveys or parties, which do not 

 range very far from where they were raised. In the 

 spring the coveys break up into pairs. The Bob-white, 

 which is often called the Quail or Partridge in the east, 



