690 SYSTEMA TIC SYNOPSIS. — GALLIN2E — ALECTOBOPODES. 



" Partkidce : " Southern and Middle States, wherever the RutFed Grouse is called " pheasant." 

 (J : Forehead, superciliary line, and throat, wliite, bordered with black ; crown, neck aU round, 

 and upper part of breast, brownisli-red ; otlier under parts tawny-wliitish, all with more or fewer 

 doubly-crescentic black bars ; crissuni rufous; sides broadly striped witii brownish-red; upper 

 parts variegated with chestnut, black, gray and tawny, the latter edging the inner quills, form- 

 ing a continuous line when the wing is closed. 9 • Known by having the throat buff instead ot 

 white, less black about the fore-i)arts, and general coloration subdued. Tire reddish of this bird is 

 of a peculiar dull pinkish shad(!. The black crescents <if the under parts are scarcely or not half 

 the width of the intervening white spaces ; the bill is not jet black. Length of <J 10.00-10.50 ; 



Fia. 409. — The Bob White family. (From " Sport with Gun and Rod ; " The Century Co., N. Y.) 



extent 15.00-15.50; wing 4.50 to nearly 5.00 ; tail 2.75-3.00. 9 9.50-10.00; extent 14.50- 

 15.00 ; wing 4.25-4.50 ; tail 2.50-2.75. Among the thousands of Bob-whites yearly destroyed, 

 albinotic fir melanotic, and other alinomially colored specimens, are frequently found ; but the 

 percentage of these cases is nothing unusual, and the sportsman must be cautioned against sup- 

 posing that such birds have any status, in a scientific point of view, beyond their illustration of 

 certain perfectly well known variations. Such specimens, however, are interesting and valuable, 

 and should always be preserved. Eastern United States. North tcj Massachusetts and slightly 

 beyond; Canada West ; Minnesota. West to high central plains. Up the Missouri to White 

 River. Salt Lake Valley (introduced). The characteristic game bird of this country. Eggs 

 indefinitely numerous, pure white, pointed at one end and very blunt at the other, about 

 1.30X1.00, 



