BOBWHITE, the best known North American game bird, Colinus virginianus, of the New World family Odontophoridae (q.v.), is about io in. long, mottled, reddish-brown above, with white on the breast ; resident east of the Rocky Mountains, north to Minnesota and Ontario and south to the Gulf of Mexico. It has been successfully introduced into Idaho and Oregon. The Bob white resembles the (resident) partridge and (migrant) quail of Europe, and is known by both these names, but is best named from the ringing call, "Bob-white!" which resounds through the fields in the evening twilight when the family group is assembling for the night. These families, or "coveys," keep together until the spring following the birth of the young birds; they trot confidingly through the stubble picking up seeds and insects,—altogether too confidingly, for in many States they were brought close to ex tinction, but are again increasing under protection. Since 15 or 20 eggs are laid, they would increase rapidly if permitted. Heavy snow and ice bear hardly on these non-migratory birds; they will come readily to feeding stations in winter. In Florida is a smaller, darker subspecies (C. v. floridianus), while the Texas subspecies (C. v. texanus) is greyer above. Other subspecies and species extend through eastern and southern Mexico to the bor ders of Guatemala, including Grayson's Bob-white (C. gray soni), and the masked Bob-white (C. ridgwayi) also found in south-western Arizona.