The Quail 89 



showing from one to three or four conspicuous 

 sweUings, which upon cutting the destroyer open 

 prove to be caused by dead quail. 



THE MASKED BOB-WHITE 

 (C ridgwayt) 



Adult Male — Head, black mixed with chestnut on top ; occiput, 

 nearly all chestnut ; hind neck, chestnut with a few white spots. 

 Upper part of back, chestnut slightly mottled with black, rest 

 of upper parts and wings closely barred with black and buff; 

 central tail feathers like the back, remainder bluish gray, with 

 slight buff mottlings near the tips. White line over the eye ; 

 sides of face and throat, jet black ; rest of under parts, uniform 

 cinnamon rufous ; bill, black, legs and feet, pale brown. 

 Total length, 8^ inches ; wing, i,\\ tail, 2| ; tarsus, i|; bill, \. 

 Geographical distribution — southern Arizona to Sonera, 

 Mexico. 



The female closely resembles the female of the 

 Texan quail, but is paler, especially on the upper 

 parts, including the wings. The under parts 

 show trifling differences. The cinnamon band is 

 somewhat narrower and paler; the buff of the 

 throat is paler ; but the bars on upper breast and 

 abdomen are darker and more sharply defined. 

 There is no noticeable difference in the dimen- 

 sions of the male and female. The conspicuous 

 black mask gives to this bird a most singu- 

 lar appearance, yet it is exceedingly handsome. 

 When seen in full sunlight the breast of the male 

 glows with a rich red which increases the 

 apparant plumpness of a very rounded model. 



