BIRDS OF NEW YORK 36 1 



America; and the Phasiani, comprising the turkeys (four species) and 

 toothed partridges (70 species) of America; the Guinea 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 ODONXOPHORINAEJ 



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 Sonoran origin, but resem- 

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

 the southwestern United States and in tropical America, but only one 

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



Colinus virginianus (Linnaeus) 

 Bohwhite 



Plate 40 



Tetrao virginianus Linnaeus. Syst. Nat. Ed. 10. 1758. 1:162 

 Ortyx virginiana DeKay. Zool. N. Y. 1844. pt 2, p. 202, fig. 168, 169 

 Colinus virginianus A. O. U. Check List. Ed. 2. 1895. No. 289 



colVnus, of uncertain origin, probably from the Mexican; virginia'nus, of Virginia 



Description. Upper parts varied with chestnut, gray, 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 broadly streaked with rufous or brownish red; tail 

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

 and superciliary stripe buffy or brownish yellow. Bill blackish; feet brown. 



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 formerly 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 



