GENUS 57. PERDIX. 



SPECIES P. FIRGINIrfNUS. 



QUAIL, OR PARTRIDGE. 



[Plate XL VII. Fig. 2.] 



Jlrct. Zool. 318, No. 185. CATESB. Jlpp. p. 12. Virginian 

 Quail, TURT. Syst. p. 460. Maryland Q. Ibid. Le Perdrix 

 cPJlmeriqiie, BRISS. i, 231. BUFF, u, 447.* 



THIS well-known bird is a general inhabitant of North Ame- 

 rica, from the northern parts of Canada and Nova Scotia, in 

 which latter place it is said to be migratory, to the extremity 

 of the peninsula of Florida; and was seen in the neighbourhood 

 of the Great Osage village, in the interior of Louisiana. They 

 are numerous in Kentucky and Ohio; Mr. Pennant remarks 

 that they have been lately introduced into the island of Jamaica, 

 where they appear to thrive greatly, breeding in that warm 

 climate twice in the year. Captain Henderson mentions them 

 as being plenty near the Balize, at the Bay of Honduras. They 

 rarely frequent the forest, and are most numerous in the vici- 

 nity of well cultivated plantations, where grain is in plenty. 

 They, however, occasionally seek shelter in the woods, perch- 

 ing on the branches, or secreting among the brush wood; but 

 are found most usually in open fields, or along fences sheltered 

 by thickets of briars. Where they are not too much persecuted 

 by the sportsmen, they become almost half domesticated; ap- 

 proach the barn, particularly in winter, and sometimes in that 

 severe season mix with the poultry, to glean up a subsistence. 

 They remain with us the whole year, and often suffer extremely 



* Tetrao Virgmianus, LIKN. Syst. ed. 10, p. 161. T. Marilandkus, id. ib. 

 Pcrdix Virginiana, LATH. fnd. Oni. p. 650. P. Marllanda, hi p. 651. Caille de la 

 , BUFF. PI. Enl 149. 



