68 
CALIFORNIAN PARTRIDGE. 
than the second, the third much the longest, all scutellate above. Claws 
long, rather slender, arched, rather obtuse. 
Plumage full, firm, blended. Feathers on th afore part of the head linear, 
recurved, stiff ; those of the neck oblong, of the throat blended, of the other 
parts generally broadly ovate. On the top of the head is an elegant crest 
of elongated feathers, six in number, at first decurved, towards the end 
recurved, narrow at the base, broad towards the end. with the w r ebs deflected, 
the longest an inch and two-twelfths. Wings short, convex, much rounded, 
the fourth and fifth quills longest, the first eight-twelfths of an inch shorter. 
Tail rather short, much rounded, of twelve feathers. 
Bill bluish-black. Iris dark hazel. Feet dull yellowish-grey, claws dusky. 
The stiff feathers on the forehead are dull yellow ; the crest black, the upper 
part of the head dark-brown, margined with a band of white ; the throat deep 
black, margined by a semilunar band of white, curving up to the eyes, behind 
which is a bare space. The hind part and sides of the neck are light 
ash-grey, anteriorly approaching to white, beautifully marked with black, 
each feather having a marginal band and central line of that colour ; the 
lower half of the neck anteriorly and a part of the breast, are greyisli-blue, 
the rest of the breast reddish-white, its central part chestnut-red, with 
semilunar black bands ; the sides reddish-brown, each feather with a central 
white streak ; the rest of the lower parts light yellowish-brown, faintly 
barred with dusky, the lower tail-coverts with a central dark brown streak. 
The back and wings are greyish-brown, the outer secondaries margined 
externally, the inner internally, with light red ; the tail brownish-grey. 
Length to end of tail 91 inches ; bill along the ridge along the edge 
of lower mandible T \ ; wing from flexure 4j\ ; tail 31 ; tarsus H ; hind toe 
fa, its claw yV ; middle toe lfv, its claw f|. 
Adult Female. 
The female, which is a little smaller, has also a shorter tuft of elongated 
feathers on the head, and is much less brightly coloured ; the bill being 
brown, the feet yellowish-brown ; the upper part of the head dull reddish- 
brown, the throat and cheeks brownish-white, streaked with dusky ; the 
hind part and sides of the neck greyish-brown, each feather with a median 
and marginal band of black, as in the male, but fainter ; the lower part of 
the neck and part of the breast brownish-grey, the rest of the upper and 
lower parts as in the male, but much duller. 
Length to end of tail 9 inches ; bill along the ridge T 6 2 ; wing from flexure 
4 T 7 _ ; tail 3 T 9 2 ; tarsus 1 T V ; hind toe f|,its claw f-|; middle toe 1 T 2 2 , its claw t 5 j. 
