COMMON QUAIL. 
105 
of the slight wattle incident to the true grouse, be- 
comes of a pinkish-red colour. In the female, the 
tips of the feathers become more decidedly marked 
with pale yellowish-grey. It is a bird much more 
liable to variation than any of the other British 
Rasores — the pheasant, if included, being excepted. 
It is frequently met with of different shades of 
cream colour, the dark markings keeping a cor- 
responding measure of intensity; and it is some- 
times blotched, as it were, with pure white spots. 
We, last winter, procured a specimen from Mr. 
Fenton, in Edinburgh,* above of a brown tint, deeper 
than usual, but with the ordinary markings ; the 
ground colour of the breast and under parts is of the 
uniform grey, which covers the breast in the ordi- 
nary state of the bird, having the black wavy mark- 
ings ; but there is not the slightest trace of broader 
marking to the feathers, or of the “ horse shoe,” 
which prevails in other states, and, to a certain 
extent, even in the female ; the head, neck, and 
patch on the throat, are umber-brown, and around 
the bill, mouth, and eyes, is nearly pure black ; the 
bill itself is of a darker colour than usual. 
The Common Quail, Coturnix dacttlisonans, 
Temm. — Tetrao coturnix, Willough., Ray, Linn . — 
Perdix coturnix , Lath., etc. — Quail or Common 
Quail of Brit. Ornil/t . — The Common Quail seems 
* Mr. Fenton, Preserver of Birds, &c., No. 66, George 
Street, Edinburgh. 
