754 SYSTEMA TIC SYNOPSIS. — GALLIN.E — ALECTOROPODES. 



tawny- whitish, all with more or fewer doubly crescentic black bars; crissum rufous; sides 

 broadly striped with brownish-red; upper parts variegated with chestnut, black, gray, and 

 tawny, the latter edging inner quills, forming a continuous line when the wing is closed. 9 : 

 Known by having throat bufiF instead of white, less black about fore-parts, and general color- 

 ation subdued. The reddish of this bird is of a peculiar dull pinkish shade; black crescents 

 of under parts scarcely or not half the width of intervening white spaces; bill not jet black. 

 Length of $ 10.00-10.50; extent 15.00-15.50; wing 4.50 to nearly 5.00; tail 2.75-3.00. 

 99.50-10.00; extent 14.50-15.00; wing 4.25-4.50; tail 2.50-2.75. Chicks in down butf be- 

 low, browner on sides and paler on throat, the back chestnut, a patch of same on top of head, 

 and black marks on its sides. Among thousands of Bob Whites yearly destroyed, albinotic or 

 melanotic, and other abnormally colored specimens, are frequently found ; but the percentage 

 of these cases is nothing unusual, and the sportsman must be cautioned against supposing that 

 such birds have any status, in a scientific point of view, beyond their illustration of certain per- 

 fectly well-known variations. Such specimens, however, are interesting and valuable, and 

 should always be preserved. Eastern U. S. N. to Maine, Ontario, and Minnesota. West 



Fio. 507. — Mr. and Mrs. Bob White, nat. size. (Ad. nat. del. E. C.) 



to high central plains, in South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Indian Territory, Oklahoma, and 

 eastern Texas, and all tlie while steadily extending in that direction with the settlements and 

 railroads ; it has already got beyond the limits assigned in the Key in 1884, and has been intro- 

 duced and become acclimated in various parts of Colorado, New Mexico, Utah, Idaho, Cali- 

 fornia, Oregon, and Washington. I shot it at Fort Randall. S. D., in 1872-73. It breeds 

 indifferently throughout its range, and is usually resident wherever found. The characteristic 

 game bird of this country, whose mellow and melodious pipe proclaims its name, so dear to the 

 heart of the sportsman. It is translated in our language in many ways besides " bob-white," 

 and may be heard throughout the breeding season, whicli commonly extends through most of 

 the spring and summer, tliough eggs have occasionally been found in nearly all mouths of the 

 year. Eggs indefinitely numerous, averaging over a dozen, usually 12-18, sometimes up to 

 3 dozen, pure white, pointed at one end and very blunt at the other, from 1.30 X 1-00 to J. 05 

 X 0.90, averaging 1.20 X 0.95. 



C. V. florida'nus. (Of Florida.) Florida Quail. Rather smaller, $ about size of 9 vir- 

 ginianus, but bill relatively larger, jet-black ; colors darker, all black markings heavier, those 

 of under parts nearly as broad as intervening white spaces. Florida, and similar specimens in 



