TETRAONIDM — PEliVlCIl^Ili^ : OLD WORLD QUAIL. 



595 



579, 



lst-;id quills, tlie 1st not shorter tl.au the next. First primary emarginate on inner web ; 2d 

 and 3d sinuate on outer web. Tail extremely short and slight, not half as long as the wmg, 

 pointed, its feathers very soft, the central pair lanceolate. Feet small ; tarsus shorter than middle 

 toe and claw, slightly feathered above in front, with two rows of alternating largo scutella m 

 front, two rows of smaller rounded scales meeting in a ridge behind, the sides filled m with 

 small plates. Size smaller than that of any of the foregoing species ; pattern of coloration 

 somewhat as in Ortyx : sexes nearly alike. 



C. dactyU'sonans. (Gr. SoktuXos, duktulos, the finger ; a metrical measure consisting of a 

 long and two short syllables ; Lat. somotw;, sounding. Fig. 414.) Messina Quail. Migka- 



Fig. 414. — Common Quail of Europe, ^ nat. size. (From Brehm.) 



TORY Quail. Common Quail of Europe. Adult <J 9 : Upper parts variegated with bufi 

 or whitish and black upon a mixed reddish-brown and gray ground, the most conspicuous mark- 

 ings being sharp lance-linear lengthwise stripes of buff or whitish over most of the upper parts, 

 these dashes mostly edged with black ; other less prominent buff or whitish cross-bars, several 

 to a feather, likewise framed in black. Crown mixed brown and black, with sharp median and 

 lateral buff stripes. Throat white, bounded before by a dark bar curving down behind the 

 auriculars ; behind, by a necklace of ruddy-brown, blackish, or whitish spots ; chin varied with 

 dark marks in advance of the auricular bar. Under parts fading to whitish from the buff or 

 pale yellowish-brown breast, without any dark crossbars, but the long feathers of the sides and 

 flanks with largo and conspicuous white sliaft-stripes and otherwise variegated with black, 



