BOB WHITE— GAMBEL'S PARTRIDGE 91 



around the eye, as in some of the Pheasants. See 

 Plate 24, Fig. 142. 



The Hazel-hen is a native of Europe and northern 

 and central Asia, and its flesh is much esteemed for 

 food. It bears some resemblance to our own Ruffed 

 Grouse. See Plate 24, Fig. 140. 



The Bob White has well been called the king of our 

 American Game-birds. It is small, about ten inches in 

 length, and the plumage renders it extremely incon- 

 spicuous, when on the ground. The male has a white 

 throat and a white stripe over the eye ; the top of the 

 head is reddish, varied with black and white ; the back 

 and wings are a mixture of delicate greys and browns ; 

 the lower parts are yellowish-white, crossed with deli- 

 cate lines of black ; a black mark encircles the white of 

 the throat; the flanks are reddish, barred with black; 

 the upper part of the tail is bluish-grey. The sexes 

 are similarly coloured, except that the female has more 

 yellow in the plumage. 



Bob Whites live more in open country than the 

 Grouse, run in large flocks, and when flushed fly in 

 different directions. Their speed is not so great as 

 that of the larger Game-bird. When alarmed. Bob 

 Whites "lie close" on the ground, instead of rising in 

 the air, trusting to their colouring to remain invisible. 

 Setters and pointers, dogs having remarkably keen 

 scent, are trained to hunt these birds, advancing slowly 

 upon a covey until it rises with a great whirring of the 

 short, rounded wings. These dogs are trained to drop 

 at the sound of a gun, and then to retrieve, or bring 

 back to their master in such a way as not to injure 

 them, the birds that have been shot. 



