WELCOME PARTRIDGE. 229 



Plumed and Californian Partridges, it is unnecessary to describe thena ; 

 the bill however is proportionally thicker, and has its tip less decurved. 

 Mr Bennet's description is as follows : — 



" In size the present bird is smaller than the Californian Quail. 

 Its crest is short, straight, directed backwards, and composed of about 

 half a dozen elongated feathers, of the same pale brown as the fore- 

 head in front of them. Round the eyes the brown becomes much 

 paler, but assumes a rufous tinge as it passes backwards, on either side 

 of the head, in two stripes, extending from above and below the eye. 

 Between these stripes, and on the lower and back part of the neck, a 

 number of pale brown and somewhat pointed feathers alternate with 

 broad black ones. The back is of a grizzled brown, with much darker 

 patches ; and this colouring extends to the tail, which is crossed by 

 about eight wavy irregular lines of very pale brown. The wing-co- 

 verts are dark brown with light margins ; and the quill-feathers dusky- 

 brown, some of them slightly marked on the edges with paler spots. 

 The under surface of the body is dark brown, copiously marked with 

 rounded spots, which are nearly of a pure white ; they commence small 

 on the neck, where they are somewhat dingy, and increase in size as 

 they proceed backwards. The bill is black ; the iris pale brown ; and 

 the claws horn-coloiu-ed." 



Length to end of tail 7| inches ; bill along the ridge ^ ; wing from 

 flexure 4f ; tail 2f ; tarsus l^^^ ; hind toe /g, its claw j^| ; middle toe li^^, 

 its claw ^^. The second quill longest ; the tail of twelve feathers. 



