228 



ORTYX VIRGINIANA. THE VIRGINIAN COLIN. 



VIRGINIAN PARTRIDGE. NORTHERN COLIN. 



Tetrao Virginianus. Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 277. 



Perdix Virginiana. Lath. lud. Orn. 11. 650. 



Quail or Partridge. Perdix Virginiana. Wils. Amer. Orn. VL 21. 



Virginian Partridge. Perdix Virginiana. Audub. Orn. Biog. I. 388. 



Perdix Virginiana. Virginian Partridge. Jen. Brit. Vert. An. 173. 



Male tcith the upper parts hrownish-red^ xariegated with 

 black ; throat and a broad band over the eye white^ loral space, 

 and a broad band passing down the neck and crossing it in 

 front, black ; lower parts greyish-white, undulated with black. 

 Female icith lighter tints, the throat and a band over the eye 

 light yellowish-red. 



The Virginian Colin is considerably larger than the Com- 

 mon Quail, and presents the general proportions of the Grey 

 Partridge, but with the bill stouter. The markings on its 

 neck resemble those of the Red Partridofe. 



o 



]\Iale. — The plumage is soft and rather glossy, the feathers 

 generally ovate and rounded ; those on the upper part of the 

 head longish, forming an erectile tuft ; those on the sides 

 elongated. The quills are twenty-three, and the tail-feathers 

 twelve. The wings are short and much rounded, the fourth 

 quill longest, the fifth next, the third and seventh about equal. 

 The tail is short and much rounded. 



The bill is black ; the feet bluish-grey tinged with brown, 

 the claws dusky. The fore part of the head is black, of which 

 colour a band passes over the eye, between which and it is a 

 broad band of white, extending from the bill to halfway down 

 the neck. A black band from beneath and behind the eye, 

 down the neck, enlarging, and meeting its fellow in front, the 



