BIRDS OF NEW YORK 36 1 



America ; and the Phasiaui, comprising the tttrkeys (fotir species) and 

 toothed partridges (70 species) of America; the Gtiinea fowls of Africa 

 (23 species) ; the pheasants, francoHns, true partridges and quails of the 

 Old World (240 species) and the grouse of holarctic distribution (45 species 

 and subspecies). 



Family ODONTOF'HORINAE 



American Partridges, "Quails'' 



Size rather small ; head completely feathered; nasal fossae not feathered ; 

 nostrils covered with a naked scale ; tarsi and toes naked ; tarsi scutellate ; 

 toes scarcely or not at all fringed; edges of under mandible toothed; tail of 

 12 feathers, rarely 10 or 14. This family of about 70 species is confined to 

 the new world, probably being of neotropical or Scnoran origin, but resem- 

 bling the Perdicinae, or Old World Partridges. They are well represented in 

 the southwestern United States and in tropical Americ?, but onlv one 

 species is found in the Eastern States. This is our well known Bobwhite. 



Colinus virginianus (Linnaeus) 

 Bohwhite 



Plate 40 



T e t r a o virginianus Linnaeus. Syst. Nat. Ed. 10. 1758. i : 162 



O 1" t ^' X \- i r g i n i a n a DeKay. Zool. N. Y. 1844. pt 2, p. 202, fig. 168, 169 



Colinus \' i r g i n i a n u s A. O. U. Check List. Ed. 2. 1895. Xo. 289 



coli'nus, of uncertain origin, probably from the Mexican; Virginia' nits, of Mrginia 



Description. Upper parts varied with chestnut, graA", rusty and black. 

 Male: Throat white, margined all around with blackish; a white line 

 from the forehead over the eye and down the sides of the neck; sides and 

 back of neck with dashes of white; under parts grayish white, wavy barred 

 with blackish; sides broadlv streaked with rufotts or brownish red; tail 

 feathers bluish gray. Female: Somewhat smaller and duller; the throat 

 and superciliary stripe buffy or brownish 3'ellow. Bill blackish; feet brfn\-n. 



Length 9.5-10.75 inches; extent 14. 5-16; wing 4.25-4.75; tail 2.4-2.9; 

 tarsus 1. 2-1. 5; middle toe and claw i. 3-1. 35; bill .55--65. 



Distribution. The Bobwhite, or Quail, was fonnerly well distributed 

 throughout New York State as far north as the counties of Jefferson, Oneida, 

 Saratoga and Washington, to an altitude of about 1000 feet, and in the 

 southeastern portion, to an altitude of 2000 feet. At the present day it 



