GAME BIRDS. 



119 



COMMON PARTRIDGE, 



PARTRIDGE, AND QUAIL. 



THE COMMON PARTRI1>GE, 



Being so well known, requires but little to describe it ; length, 

 about thirteen inches ; weight, fifteen ounces ; the bill is bluish- 

 brown, irides hazel; general colour of the plumage, cinerous 

 brown, and black mixed ; some of the back and coverts streaked 

 with buff; sides of the head, bright rust-colour ; behind the eye, 

 a naked, red, warty skin; on the breast, a deep bay-coloured 

 mark, in form of a horse-shoe ; the tail consists of sixteen feathers, 

 of a bright rust-colour, except the four middle ones, which are 

 like the back ; legs, bluish-gray. The female weighs about four- 

 teen ounces ; the head is less bright, and the coverts of the ears 

 inclining to gray ; the horse-shoe on the breast is white for the 



