448 BIKDS — PERDICIDiE. 



neither is it a Pheasant, the former name heingmost appropriately applied 

 to the birds of a Sub-family of Perdicidse found in the Old World, and which 

 is more nearly applicable to the bird commonly called Quail, than to the 

 Rufled Grouse. On the other hand it is still farther removed from the 

 Old World family of Phasianidas which embraces the Pheasants. 



The nest of the Ruffed Grouse is placed on the ground. It is com- 

 posed of a few leaves, without any attempt at construction. The eggs are 

 from seven to ten in number. They are usually of a uniform dark cream 

 color, but sometimes blotched with a darker shade of the same. They 

 measure 1.60 by 1.15. 



FAMILY PERDICIDiE. THE PARTRIDGES. 



Size small. Tarsi, toes, and nasal fossae naked. Head completely feathered. No 

 peculiar feathers or tympanum on sides of neck. No spurs. Plamage not iridessoent. 



Sub-family ODONTOPHORINiE. American Pakteidges. 

 Bill stout, the lower mandible more or less bidentate on each side near the end. 



Genus ORTYX. Stephens. 



Head without crest. Tail not much more than half the wings ; outstreached feet 

 reaching beyond tail. 



Ortyx vieginianus (L.) Jardine. 



"VTrginia Fartridge ; Quail ; Bob-white. 



Perdix virginiana, Wilson, Am. Orn , vi, 1812, 21. — Audubon, Orn. Biog., i, 1831, 388. — 

 KiRTLAND, Prelim. Eep. Ohio Geolog. Surv., 1838, 67 ; Ohio Geolog. Surv., 1838, 164. 



Ortyx virginiana, Audubon, B. Am., \i, 1813, 21; — Bead, Proo. Phila. Acad. Nat. Sci., vi. 

 1853, 395. 



Ortyx virginianua, Wb^atots, Ohio Agric. Eep. for 1860, 1861, 367; Eeprint, 9; Food of 

 Birds, etc., Ohio Agrio. Rep. for 1874, 1875, 571 ; Eeprint, 11.— Lanqdon, Cat. Birds 

 of Gin., 1877, 14 ; Journ. Gin. Soc. Nat. Hist., i, 1878, 116 ; Eeprint, 7 ; Eevised List, 

 Jonrn. Gin. Soc. Nat Hist., i, 1879, 181 ; Reprint, 15 ; Summer Birds, ib, iii, 1880, 

 226 —Jones and Shulzb, Illust. Nests and Eggs, Pt. 6, PI. XVIII. 



Quail, KiRTLAND, Fam. Visitor, i, 1850, 1. 



Tetrao virginianui, LiNNiBUS, Syst. Nat., i, 1776, 277. 

 Perdix virginianus , Latham, Ind. Orn., ii, 1790, '650. 

 Ortyx virginianus, Jakdine, Nat. Lib. Birds, iv. — , 110. 



Coronal feathers erectile bnt not forming a true crest. Forehead, superciliary line 

 and throat white, bordered with black ; crown, neck all round and upper part of 

 breast brownish-red, other under parts tawny-whitish, all with more or fewer doubly 

 oresoentio black bars ; sides broadly streaked with brownish-red; upper parts variegated 

 with chestnut, black, gray and tawny, the latter edging the inner qailla. Female known 



