Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIV.djvu/134

 126 QUAIL general color above is brownish red, especial- ly on the wing coverts, tinged with gray and mottled with dusky on the upper back ; chin, throat, forehead, and lines through the eyes Common Quail (Ortyx Virginianus). and along the sides of the neck, white ; a black band across the top of the head, extending backward on the sides, and from the bill be- low the eyes crossing on the lower part of the throat ; below white, tinged with brown an- teriorly, each feather with black bands; the female has not the black marks, and the white on the head is replaced by brownish yellow. It is abundant in the eastern United States to the high central plains ; the northern birds are largest and lighter colored, the southern with more black on the head, wings, and back ; a smaller and more grayish variety in Texas has been separated as a species. The flight is rapid, low, and with numerous quick flap- "pfngs. It takes to trees when alarmed, a flock dispersing in all directions and afterward com- ing together at the call of the leader. The males are very pugnacious, and in the breed- ing season utter the well known notes, " Ah Bob White," the first syllable rather low, but the others loud and clear ; by some these notes are thought to resemble u more wet," and are therefore regarded as omens of rainy weather. The eggs are 10 to 18, pure white; the young run about as soon as hatched, but follow the old birds till spring, when they acquire their full plumage, pair, and breed ; only one brood is raised in a season. They rest on the ground at night, arranged in a circle with their heads outward, so that each can fly off in a straight line, if alarmed, without interfering with the others ; they are easily caught in snares and traps or driven into nets; they are difficult to raise from the egg, chiefly on account of the impossibility of obtaining the insects on which the young feed, but adults fatten well in captivity, eating grain, seeds, and berries ; their flesh toward autumn is fat, juicy, and tender, white and highly esteemed ; many perish from cold and hunger and from being imprisoned under the snow during severe win- ters. There is great confusion a*bout the name of this bird ; it is called quail in the northern states, but in the middle and southern par- tridge ; where the former name prevails the ruffed grouse is called partridge, and where the latter this grouse is styled pheasant; as neither the name quail, partridge, nor pheas- ant is properly given to any American bird, Mr. Baird proposes to call this species Bob White, and the other mountain grouse. The genus lophortyx (Bonap.) has a crest of about half a dozen lengthened feathers, the shafts in the same vertical plane and the recurved webs overlapping each other ; the bill weak ; tail lengthened and graduated, of 12 stiff feath- ers, and nearly as long as the wings. Here belongs the beautiful California quail (L. Cali- fornicu*, Bonap.), about 9$ in. long, with back and wings olivaceous brown, the sec- ondaries and tertiaries edged with buff ; breast and neck above plumbeous, the imbricated feathers on the latter with an edge and middle stripe of black ; top of head brown, and crest black; throat black edged with white. This takes the place of the Bob White in California California Quail (Lophortyx Callfornicus). and Oregon. The European quail belongs to the genus coturnix (Mohr.) of the partridge subfamily; in this the bill is short, elevated at the base and arched to the obtuse tip ; wings moderate, with the second to the fourth quills the longest ; tail very short, pendant, and mostly hidden by the coverts. There are about 20 species, scattered over Europe, Asia, and Australia, migrating in large flocks to warm regions in winter ; some prefer culti- vated districts, among tufts of grass, others rocky places, and others elevated table lands; the food and habits are as in other partridges. The European -quail (C. communis, Bonn.) is 8 in. long, with an alar extent of 14 in. ; the upper parts are variegated with reddish gra5 and brownish black, with whitish longitudi- nal streaks; throat of male dark brown, and