TETRAONID^ — PERBICINJE: OLD WORLD QUAIL. 



595 



579. 



l8t-3d quills, the 1st not shorter than the next. First primary emarginate on inner web; 2d 

 and 3d sinuate on outer web. Tail extremely short and slight, not half as long as the wing, 

 pointed, its feathers very soft, the central pair lanceolate. Feet small ; tarsus shorter than middle 

 toe and claw, slightly feathered above in front, with two rows of alternating large scutella in 

 front, two rows of smaller rounded scales meeting in a ridge behind, the sides filled in with 

 small plates. Size smaller than that of any of the foregoing species; pattern of coloration 

 Sduunvhat as in Ortyx ; sexes nearly alike. 



C. dactyli'sonans. (Gr. baKTvKos, duktulos, the finger; a metrical measure consisting of a 

 long and two short syllables ; Lat. sonans, sounding. Fig. 414.) Messina Quail. Migra- 



FiG. 414, —Common Quail of Europe, i nat. size. (From Brelim.) 



TORY Quail. Common Quail of Europe. Adult $ 9 : Upper parts variegated with buflf 

 or whitish and black upon a mixed reddish-brown and gray ground, the most conspicuous mark- 

 ings being sharp lance-linear lengthwise stripes of buff or whitish over most of the upper pans, 

 these dashes mostly edged with black ; other less prominent buff or whitish cross-bars, several 

 to a feather, likewise framed in black. Crown mixed brown and black, with sharp median and 

 lateral buff stripes. Throat white, bounded before by a dark bar curving down behind the 

 auriculars ; behind, by a necklace of ruddy-brown, blackish, or whitish spots ; chin varied with 

 dark marks in advance of the auricular bar. Under parts fading to whitish from the buff or 

 pale yellowish -brown breast, without any dark crossbars, but tiie long feathers of the sides and 

 flanks with large and conspicuous white shaft-stripes and otherwise variegated with black, 



