CALLIPEPLA. 291 
Hab. Nortn America, New Mexico §!°, Arizona ® 1°, Centr. and W. Texas 81012, Lower 
Rio Grande Valley 18 2!, Mexico !? 4 (Dugés 4, La Liave! 16, Petz"), San Pedro, 
Bisbee, Sonora (Robinette’), Chupadero, and San Diego, Chihuahua (Lloyd !°), 
Durango (Grayson®), Nuevo Leon ( Couch +, Brewster 18), Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas 
(Armstrong 2"), Plains of San Luis Potosi (Richardson ©), Guanajuato (Dugés *), 
Guadalajara, Jalisco, Ahualulco (Jouy °), Valley of Mexico (Herrera®), near the 
city of Mexico (Sumichrast ® 1°). 
Bendire § states that in North America the Scaled Partridge is also known as the Blue 
Quail or White Top-knot Quail, and is found abundantly on the plateaux bordering 
the principal streams, ranging from an altitude of about 1500 to nearly 7000 feet. In 
Southern Arizona it avoids the timbered country, preferring the most barren and dry 
portions of that scantily watered territory, and frequenting the foot-hills and mesas a 
few miles from the river-beds, which are generally dry for the greater part of the year. 
The coveys love the sandy tableland, and spend much of their time in taking sand- 
baths and pecking and chasing one another like a brood of young chickens. Though 
often met with far from water, they regularly visit the streams, often travelling several 
miles to drink. Owing to the barren nature of the country they generally frequent, 
this bird is comparatively little hunted, but is nevertheless exceedingly shy and wary. 
It is difficult to flush, and when disturbed trusts almost entirely to its legs as a means 
of escape, running very rapidly through the bushes and vegetation. If flushed, the 
coveys scatter in different directions, and after flying a short distance, again commence 
to run. As soon as the alarm is over, the old birds reassemble the flock by whistling 
a low call-note. Towards the end of the summer and in autumn they are generally 
found in packs containing several broods, and as many as sixty or eighty individuals 
may sometimes be seen together, often associating with Gambel’s Quail; they are 
easily trapped in autumn and winter, and many are caught by the natives and taken to 
the markets of the larger towns. 
The nest is placed on the ground among very varied surroundings—cultivated fields, 
meadows, or barren flats being generally selected. The eggs vary from nine to sixteen 
in number, and are pale creamy-buff, finely dotted and spotted all over with reddish or 
purplish-brown. | | 
Mr. Dwight 1% gives an interesting account of the early stages and moults of the 
Scaled Partridge, his facts being gathered from an examination of a very large number 
of specimens. 
The race called C. castaneiventer differs from typical C. sguamata in having the 
general colour of the middle feathers of the breast and belly deeper buff or ochraceous 
in both sexes: the male has a dark reddish-chestnut patch on the belly, this patch 
being sometimes found in the female also. The mating- and nesting-season of this 
race are said to commence somewhat earlier than is the case with C. squamata. 
37* 
