14© Lloyd's natural history. 



with Ortyx virginianus. It is most abundant in the central 

 parts of the State. Its range northward extends well into the 

 Indian territory, and it has also been taken in Western Kansas, 

 where, however, it is rare. Its general habits do not differ 

 materially from those of O. virgifiia?ms. {Be?idire.) 



Mr. William Lloyd, of Marfa, Texas, says : — " The Texan 

 Bob-Whites are birds of the lowlands, and not found above 

 an altitude of 2,000 feet. Their food consists of small berries, 

 acorns, grain, buds and leaves of aromatic herbs and small 

 shrubs, varied with occasional beetles, grasshoppers, and ants, 

 especially the winged females, of which they seem to be very 

 fond. They are very unsuspicious, and their low notes, uttered 

 while feeding, attract a good many enemies. I have seen foxes 

 on the watch, and the Marsh Harrier perched in a clump of 

 grass on the look-out, waiting for them to pass. But the many 

 large Rattlesnakes found here are their worst enemies. One 

 killed in May had swallowed five of these birds at one meal ; 

 another a female, evidently cauglit on her nest, and a half- 

 dozen of her eggs ; a third, four Bob-Whites and a Scaled Par- 

 tridge." 



Nest and Eggs. — Similar to those of O. virginianus. 



U. THE CUBAN COLIN. ORTYX CUBANENSIS. 



Oriyx cubanejisis, Gould, Monogr. Odontoph. pt. iii. pi. 2 

 (1850); Ogilvie-Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. xxii. p. 421 



(1893). 

 CoVuius virginia?ms cubanensis, Bendire, N. Am. B. p. 9 (1892). 



Adult Male. — Chin and throat white, surrounded by a black 

 band ; top of the head black ; chest-feathers black, mixed with 

 dull rufous or white in the middle ; rest of under-parts chestnut, 

 irregularly edged with black, and spotted with white on the 

 sides. Total length, 8 inches ; wing, 4-2 ; tail, 2-3 ; tarsus, 1*2 ; 

 middle toe and claw, 1-4. 



Adult Female. — Coarsely spotted on the under-parts with black, 

 dirty white, and rufous- 



