RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE 
brownish -buff ; upperparts dull earthy -brown, most of the feathers with 
a black bar and white triangular spot at the extremity. Quills dark brown, 
mottled and notched with black and buff on the outer web. Tail-feathers 
reddish-brown, slightly vermiculated with black, and tipped with white. 
Sides of the head, throat and rest of the neck white; chest brownish, 
spotted with white ; remainder of the underparts greyish -white. (Plate XX.) 
Nestling . — Crown and back of the neck reddish-brown, back reddish- 
brown, finely mottled with black, and with three whitish bands, one down 
the spinal tract, and one on either side. Wings very similarly marked. 
Sides of the face, throat, and rest of the neck whitish, without any of the 
black markings characteristic of the young of the common partridge. 
Rest of the underparts whitish -buff. (Plate XX.) 
Variations in colour . — ^Among red-legged partridges variations in plumage 
are not very common, but a few remarkable forms have come under 
our notice, and two of the most striking have been figured by Mr G. E. 
Lodge on the accompanying plate. (Plate XXI.) 
In the first the blue-grey colour of the breast extends over the whole 
of the upperparts, the rufous pigment in the feathers being nearly 
absent, a point which is especially noticeable on the tips of the flank 
feathers, which are white. 
The most extraordinary variety, however, that we have ever examined, 
is that shown in the second figure. It has the fore -part of the head, eye- 
brow-stripes, cheeks and throat black; the rest of the head, mantle, 
breast, and fianks dull vinous -red, with the exception of a few white 
feathers on the middle of the breast; and the abdomen, thighs, and under 
tail -coverts are dull greyish -brown, with the exception of a few buff 
feathers on the middle of the belly. The tail-feathers are dull greyish -brown, 
like the lower back, rump and wings. 
Partially white examples are also met with. In the most complete the 
plumage is white, with the exception of the top of the head and ear- 
coverts, which are normally coloured; the spotting on the sides of the 
neck is present, but paler; the mantle is washed with light red, and the 
flanks are barred with chestnut at the tips of the feathers. 
Another specimen is normally coloured, but the greater part of the back, 
rump, wing -coverts, some of the secondary quills and the thighs are white. 
In a third the plumage is normal, but there is a large horse -shoe -shaped 
mark of white on the breast, very similar to that found in some exam- 
ples of the grey partridge. 
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