GENUS 57. PERDIX. 
SPECIES P. VIRGINIA NUS. 
QUAIL, OR PARTRIDGE. 
[Plate XLVIL— Fig. 2.] 
Arct. Zool, 318, JSTo. 185. — Catese. App. p. 12. — Virginian 
^uail, Turt. Syst. p. 460. — Maryland Q. Ibid. — Le Perdrix 
d^Amerique, Buiss. i, 23], — Buff, it, 447.* 
This well-known bird is a general inhabitant of North Ame- 
rica, from the northern parts of Canada and Nova Scotia, in 
which latter place it is said to be migratory, to the extremity 
of the peninsula of Florida; and was seen in the neighbourhood 
of the Great Osage village, in the interior of Louisiana. They 
are numerous in Kentucky and Ohio; Mr. Pennant remarks 
that they have been lately introduced into the island of Jamaica, 
where they appear to thrive greatly, breeding in that warm 
climate twice in the year. Captain Henderson mentions them 
as being plenty near the Balize, at the Bay of Honduras. They 
rarely frequent the forest, and are most numerous in the vici- 
nity of well cultivated plantations, where grain is in plenty. 
They, however, occasionally seek shelter in the woods, perch- 
ing on the branches, or secreting among the brush wood; but 
are found most usually in open fields, or along fences sheltered 
by thickets of briars. Where they are not too much persecuted 
by the sportsmen, they become almost half domesticated; ap- 
proach the barn, particularly in winter, and sometimes in that 
severe season mix with the poultry, to glean up a subsistence. 
They remain with us the whole year, and often suffer extremely 
* Tetrno Virginianus, Linn. Syst. ed. 10, p. 161. T. Marilandicm, id. ib . — 
Perdix Virginiana, Lath. Ind. Orn. p. 650. P. Marilanda, id p. 651. — Caille de la 
Lmhiane, Buff. PI. Enl. 149. 
