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ovate or peg-top shape.' There are 

 four to a clutch. 



Notes. — Its flight is slower and more 

 rail-like than that of the common quail. 

 Usually it is a shy bird passing its life 

 in the thickets, but during migration 

 it seems to become very bold or per- 

 haps bewildered. 



Family.— Phasianidae, Pheasants and quails. 



This family is composed of birds 

 with stout, compact bodies, short, 

 rounded, and concave wings which 

 fit closely to the body. 



They are re'presented in the Yangtse 

 Valley by two sub-families. 



Sub-Family, Perdiclnae, Old World Quails and 

 Partridges. 



This large group of some 25 genera 

 and 150 species diflers quite sharply 

 from the American forms in having no 

 serrations on the cutting edge of the 

 lower mandible. On the other hand the 

 line between them and the Pheasants 

 (Phasianidae) is at best only an artificial 

 one. The Perdicinae may be dis- 

 tinguished from the Pheasants by their 

 short tails and wing quills, the first 

 primary always being equal to or longer 

 than the tenth. 



Only two species of this family are 

 found in the Yangtse Valley. 



COMMON QUAIL. 



COTURNIX COTURNIX (l). 

 (Coturnix communis Bonnat.) 



Description. — Length seven and one 

 half inches. Bill greyish brown above, 

 greenish blue beneath, tip yellowish. 

 Legs, toes, and claws greyish yellow 

 brown. Iris hazel. 



