60 BULLETIN 16 2, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



from the other races in its nesting, food, or general habits. A full 

 account of the habits of the species is given under L. c. vallicola, 

 the next form treated. J. Hooper Bowles (Dawson and Bowles, 

 1909) writes: 



This bird and its near relative, the Valley Partridge, are not natives of 

 Washington ; but, like the Mountain and the Plumed Partridge, were introduced 

 here from the State of California. Dr. Suckley, one of our pioneer naturalists, 

 tells us that as early as 1857 two shipments of birds were turned out in the 

 vicinity of Puget Sound by Gov. Charles H. Mason and a Mr. Goldsborough. 

 Conditions seem to have proved most suitable for them, since, in the face 

 of constant persecution, they continued to increase in numbers, spreading 

 their ranks over new territory every year. Although ofteu found in dry, 

 bushy uplands, they are much more inclined to damp localities than the 

 Mountain Partridge, their favorite haunts being the low ground of the river 

 valleys. Here they may be found searching for seeds in the weed-patches 

 of the open fields, or gleaning amongst the growing cabbages, beans, and 

 other vegetables of the farmer's garden. Indeed, few birds are so much the 

 friends of the farmer as our partridges, for their food consists almost en- 

 tirely of weed-seeds, worms, beetles, grass-hoppers, and other insects. What 

 little of the newly-sown crops they may eat is repaid a thousand fold by 

 the vast amount of good they accomplish. 



Nesting. — Mr. Bowles, in his notes sent to me, says : 



Like most species of introduced game birds these quail lay their eggs in the 

 nests of other varieties of birds. I have in my collection a set of nine eggs of 

 the sooty grouse and three eggs of this quail, personally taken here at Tacoma. 

 All the eggs were heavily and evenly incubated. 



I have also a nest of the Nuttall's sparrow containing four eggs of the sparrow 

 and two eggs of this quail, which was taken near the city of Seattle, Wash., on 

 May 8, 1918. Incubation was slight. This set was collected and presented to 

 me by D. E. Brown, of Seattle. His notes say that one of the quail eggs was 

 on end in the nest, the other on top of two of the sparrow eggs. The sparrow 

 was on the nest and showed much anxiety. 



Eggs. — The eggs of this quail are indistinguishable from those of 

 the valley quail, but they average slightly larger. The measurements 

 of 60 eggs average 32 by 25 millimeters; the eggs showing the four 

 extremes measure 35.5 by 24.5, 35 by 26, 30 by 24, and 31 by 23 

 millimeters. 



DISTRIBUTION 



Range. — Southwestern Oregon, California, extreme western Neva- 

 da, and Lower California. Successfully introduced in Washington, 

 Idaho, Utah, Nevada, and British Columbia, as well as Hawaii, New 

 Zealand, Chile, and probably locally in France. 



Because of the many attempts to extend the range of this species 

 in the Western States, it is difficult to outline the area to which they 

 are indigenous. It appears, however, that the natural range extends 

 north to southwestern Oregon (Anchor and Algoma). East to 

 Oregon (Algoma and Klamath Falls) ; western Nevada (Anaho 



