QUAIL, BOBWHITE, PARTRIDGE. 



Colinus virginianus, 



Colinus virginianus ftoridanus, 



Colinus virginianus texanus. 



Of all these forms, by far the best known is the bob- 

 white the partridge of the Southern States, and quail 

 of the north. It has been divided by naturalists into 

 several sub-species or geographical races inhabiting 

 southern New England and the Middle States, the 

 Southern States, Florida and Cuba, Texas and southern 

 Arizona; and in Mexico are found many other differ- 

 ent forms of the genus. All these, except those of 

 the extreme southwest Mexico differ from each 

 other chiefly in size and in the varying intensity of the 

 blacks and browns which mark their plumage. Of those 

 of the United States the northern form, known as the 

 quail or Virginia partridge, is the largest ; the southern 

 races, called the Florida bobwhite, the smallest and 

 blackest ; while the Texas bobwhite is midway between 

 the two in size, and in color is paler and grayer than 

 either. 



The general color of the typical bobwhite is reddish 

 brown, paler below and streaked, spotted or crossed 

 with black markings. The lower breast and belly be- 

 come whitish, and all the upper parts are crossed with 



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