120 THE COMMON QUAIL. 



to contain a large proportion of animal heat, from the 

 pugnacious disposition of their tempers. 



The common quail has the crown of the head and 

 hack of the neck black, each feather margined with 

 chestnut ; and down the centre of the head and neck 

 there is a cream-yellow streak. Over each eye, and 

 proceeding down the neck, is a white streak : chin 

 and throat chestnut-brown, mixed with blackish- 

 brown. Back scapulars and wing-coverts black, the 

 feathers margined and varied with brown, and each 

 having its shaft and central parts sienna-yellow. The 

 breast and belly are pale buff or orange, the shafts arid 

 margins of the feathers yellowish-white. Tail black- 

 ish-brown, with the shafts, tips, and base cream- 

 yellow. In the female there is no black or brown 

 on the neck and throat. Her breast is spotted with 

 blackish -brown, and the general tints of her plumage 

 are paler. Pure white on spotted varieties some- 

 times occur. 



We must now describe a singular American bird, 

 of whose station we are by no means certain. It is 



