222 MICHIGAN BIRD LIFE. 
This is one of the famous game birds, but it is much to be regretted 
that some other bird cannot be substituted and the Quail be preserved for 
his service as an insect eater. We have few species more valuable to the 
farmer. It does absolutely no damage to any crop, but on the other hand 
consumes immense quantities of harmful insects during the warmer half 
of the year, and at other times gorges himself with seeds of the weeds which 
are among the farmer’s worst foes. It seems to be particularly fond 
of span-worms or inch-worms, as well as of grasshoppers, and it is one 
of the few species which habitually eat the chinch-bug, that scourge of the 
wheat field from southern Michigan southward. For a full discussion of 
this subject the reader is referred to Dr. Sylvester Judd’s paper on The 
Economic Value of Bob-white (Year book U. 8. Dep’t Agr. 1903, 193-204). 
If the farmer had a little more foresight he would keep his acres well stocked 
with these birds, feeding them about his barns and straw-stacks during 
severe winters, and posting his land to prevent shooting without permission. 
Under such conditions he could get all the benefit to be derived from the 
presence of the bird during the summer, and might still give his friends 
good shooting in the fall, or even rent the shooting privilege under certain 
restrictions, as 1s sometimes done in other parts of the country. 
TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION. 
Adult male in summer: Forehead, line over and behind the eye, and entire chin and 
upper throat pure white, this throat patch bordered everywhere with clear black which 
forms a crescent on the chest and throat, the horns of the crescent formed by a stripe on 
each side from bill below eye; top of head mixed black and brown, the nape and back of 
neck similar, but sharply streaked and spotted with white; interscapulars and sides of chest 
pinkish brown, more or less barred with black; scapulars and tertiaries rufous or chestnut, 
heavily barred and spotted with black, the inner edges of tertiaries broadly margined 
with creamy or pure white; rump streaked with black; tail bluish ash, sprinkled with black 
and white; breast and belly pale cinnamon to dull white, the chest and breast with numerous 
v-shaped or brace-shaped black spots and bars; sides of breast and flanks rufous or chestnut, 
more or less streaked with black and white. Female: Similar, but the white head and 
throat markings replaced by clear buff. In autumn and winter both sexes show less pure 
black and white, and more rufous and buff, the inner edges of the tertiaries being then pure 
buff instead of white. 
Length 9.50 to 10.75 inches; wing 4.30 to 4.70; tail 2.40 to 2.90; culmen .55 to .65; tar- 
sus 1.20 to 1.50. 
Family 32. TETRAONID. Grouse, Ptarmigan, Etc. 
KEY TO SPECIES. 
A. Tarsus entirely feathered. B, BB. 
B. Toes also feathered. Willow Ptarmigan. No. 124. 
BB. Toes naked. C, CC. 
C. A bunch of long narrow, stiff feathers on each side of neck 
(Fig. 63). Prairie Chicken. No. 125. 
CC. No bunches of stiff feathers on sides of neck. D, DD. 
D. Wing less than 7 inches; outer web of primaries without 
white spots. Spruce Partridge. No. 121. 
DD. Wing over 8 inches; outer web of primaries with white 
spots. Sharp-tailed Grouse. No. 126. 
AA. Lower half of tarsus bare. Ruffed Grouse and Canada Ruffed Grouse. 
Nos. 122, 123. 
