-GEN. 185, 186. 



237 



Jc^q TETRAONIDiE, GROUSE, PARTRIDGES.- 



having the throat buff instead of white, less black about the fore parts, and 

 general colors less intense ; rather smaller than the $ . 9-10 ; wing 4^-5 ; 

 tail 2^-3. Eastern United States to high central plains ; the characteristic 

 garaejjird of this country. Eggs white. Wils., vi, 21, pi. 47; Nutt., i, 



647;*AuD., V, 59, pi. 289; Bd., 646 virginianus. 



CAj Var. FLOKiDANus CouES, n. V. Rather smaller, the <? about the size of the $ 

 vii-ginicmus, but bill relatively larger, and jet-black ; colors darker, all the black 

 markings heavier. Florida (Allen) ; an approach to the Cuban form (0. ntbanensis). 

 %- Var. TEXANUS Lawr., Ann. Lye. N. Y., vi, 1853, 1 ; Bd., 641. Size of florida- 

 nus; colors paler, the prevailing shade rather gray than brown ; upper parts much 

 variegated with tawny. Texas. 



Obs. Among the thousands of bob-whites yearly destroyed, albinotic or melan- 

 otic, and other abnormally colored specimens, are frequentlj^ found ; but the 

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

 against supposing that such birds have anj^ status, in a scientific point of view, 

 be3'ond their illustration of certain perfectlj' well known variations. Such speci- 

 mens, however, are interesting and valuable, and should always be preserved. 



:;hes 



With an 

 long in the ^ 



185. Genns OEEORTYX Baird. 



M^ Plumed Parlridrje. Mountain Quail of the Californians 

 arrowy crest of two slender keeled feathers 

 when fully developed, shorter in the 9 . An 

 elegant species, much larger than the liob- 

 white, inhabiting the mountainous parts of 

 California and Oregon. A foot long; Aving 

 over 5 inches ; tail over 3 ; whole foot abont 

 3 ; 9 rather less. Hinder half of body above, 

 with wings and tail, rich dark olive-brown, 

 the inner edges of the inner quills brownish- 

 white ; hinder half below purplish-chestnut, 

 barred with white, black and tawnj' ; fore 

 parts above and below slaty-blue (above 

 more or less glossed with olive, below finely 

 marbled with black), the chin and throat 

 purplish-chestnut, edged with black and 

 bounded by a white stripe meeting its fellow under the bill ; ? sntEciently 

 similar. Aud., v, 69, pi. 291 ; Nutt., i, 2d ed. 791; Bd.,642; Coop., 

 546 piCTus. 



Fig. 151. Plumed Partiiclge. 



186. Genus LOPHOETYX Bonaparte. 



*5K* With an elegant crest, recurved helmet-wise, of several (6-10) keeled, 

 clubbed, glossy black imbricated feathers, more than an inch long when full}^ 

 developed ; in tlie ? , smaller, of fewer feathers. Bulk of the bob-white, but 

 longer; 10-11^; wing 4 or more ; tail 3 or more. $ with the chin and throat 

 jet-black, sharply bordered with white ; a white line across the vertex and along 

 the sides of the crown, bordered behind by black ; 9 without these head-markings. 



