THE BIRD-LIFE OF LONDON 



grey ; behind the eye a scarlet patch of bare skin. Bill 

 pale lead-grey ; tarsi and toes pale grey ; irides brown. 

 Length 12% inches. The female closely resembles the 

 male in general coloration, but may always be distin- 

 guished, according to Mr. Ogilvie Grant, by having the 

 wing-coverts barred with buff, not with pale shaft-lines, 

 as in the male. The young in first plumage have no 

 chestnut on the head and neck, and the general tone of 

 colour inclines to buff, not to grey, and the first primary is 

 pointed at the end, not rounded. This latter peculiarity 

 is retained until the following autumn. 



Mention may here also be made of the RED-LEGGED 

 PARTRIDGE (Caccabisrufa), which has been introduced into 

 Bucks and Berks, where it is an uncommon resident. The 

 same remarks apply to Surrey ; and the bird occurs 

 accidentally in Middlesex. It cannot fairly claim further 

 notice in an account of the birds of London. 



The QUAIL (Coturnix communis) is a rare yet breeding 

 species in some parts of rural Surrey ; is met with on 

 passage in Bucks and Berks ; is of rare occurrence in 

 Middlesex ; and although it has bred in many parts of 

 Essex there is no instance recorded within the fifteen- 

 mile limit. 



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