228 VIRGINIAN PARTRIDGE. 
feathers of the lower part pale yellowish or greyish white, 
edged with arrow-heads of black, and those on the sides 
elegantly marked on their centres with rich chesnut brown, 
bordered with black lines and white margins. Back above, 
yellowish red brown, slightly pencilled all over with black; 
most of the feathers edged with bluish ash-colour and pale 
yellow. 
The wings, of twenty-three quills, have the first and eighth 
feathers of the same length, the second equal to the sixth, the 
fourth the longest in the wing, the fifth nearly equal to it, 
the third about equal to the seventh; lesser wing coverts, 
yellowish red brown, pencilled with black. Primaries, greyish 
brown; secondaries and tertiaries, dusky, or greyish brown, 
the inner ones of the former variegated with the black mark- 
ings; the latter edged with yellowish white. The tail, of 
twelve feathers, short and much rounded, is greyish blue or 
ash-colour, sprinkled with reddish brown, waved towards the 
end with yellowish red; upper tail coverts, olive brown- and 
yellowish brown, pencilled with black; under tail coverts, light 
yellowish red, with dusky streaks on the centres of the feathers 
and whitish tips. Legs and toes, light ash-colour; claws, 
dusky. . 
Female; length, nine inches; the band over the eyes and 
the head on the sides, light yellowish brown; crown, paler 
than in the male; neck in front, light red on the lower 
part; on the back and the nape, paler than in the male. 
Throat, light yellowish brown, margined with black, brown, 
and yellowish red spots; breast, light red; back, paler than 
in the male. The tail, more undulated with red and greyish 
white. 
The young at first have the bill brownish yellow; iris, light 
hazel; the head on the sides, dusky; the upper parts light 
yellowish brown, with patches of grey. 
