EGGS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 47 



Virginia Rail. Breeds in Mexico, Central America, and Cuba, 

 thus extralimital ; but the bird is said to occur in the lower Rio 

 Grande Valley, Texas. 



ORDER III.— GALLING. Gallinaceous Birds. 



Birds of this order usually lay a large number of eggs, 

 which are placed on the ground in a rude nest of leaves, etc., 

 tlrey are variously colored and sometimes spotted. 



Family V. — TETRAONID^. Grouse, Partridges, Etc. 



Eggs, varying in form from pyriform to oval; they are 

 white, buff, or creamy, plain or spotted. 



289. Bob-white, Colinus virgmianus. (Type, Plate VI.) 

 Eggs, 8 to 20, decidedly short pyriform, white and unspotted, 

 .95 -|- 1.30 to 1.00 + 1.35. Breeds in Eastern United States, 

 from Southern Maine to the South Atlantic and Gulf States, 

 westward to Dakota, Eastern Kansas, and Eastern Texas. 



289a. Florida Bob-white, Colimcs mrginiamis floridanus. 

 Eggs, 8 to 15, indistinguishable from those of No. 289, except- 

 ing in being a little smaller. Breeds in Florida. 



289J. Texan Bob-white, Colinus mrginianus texanus. 

 Eggs, 8 to 15, indistinguishable from those of No. 289a. 

 Breeds in Southern and Western Texas, northward to Western 

 Kansas. 



290. Grayson's Bob-white, Colinus grm/soni. Eggs, un- 

 known. Breeds in Mexico, northward into Southern Arizona. 



291. Masked Bob-white, Colinus ridgwayi. Eggs, un- 

 known. Breeds on the Mexican border of Arizona and south- 

 ward. 



292. Mountain Partridge, Oreortyx pictus. Eggs, 8 to 

 20, rather oval, rich cream-color, unspotted; 1.10 -{- 1.46 to 



