Brown: a plumage color mutation in Chinese painted quail (Excalfactoria chinensis)

"Brown" is the second plumage color mutation reported in Chinese painted quail (Excalfactoria chinensis). The brown plumage lacks the wild-type black pigmentation that is a representative component of the wild-type plumage; otherwise, the plumage pattern is the same as that of the wild type. The dorsal surface of the female is brown with gray tinge, while that of the male is dark brown with a bluish-gray tinge. The breast of the female is creamy light-brown with numerous gray speckles. The coloration of the ventral surface of the mutant male is generally similar to that of the wild type except for the chin. The mutant chin is charcoal gray with a brown tinge, differing from the dense black of the wild-type chin. The basic color of the chick down is greenish creamy-yellow with bright brown tinge. The down has the same stripe pattern as the wild type, but the color of the stripes is lighter brown. A genetic analysis indicated that the brown plumage is controlled by an autosomal recessive gene, for which the symbol br is proposed. The br gene is not allelic and not linked to the previously reported light gray (Ig) gene.