PLUMED QUAIL 43 



confinis, has been described from the San Pedro Martir Mountains, 

 Lower California. 



Migration. — A slight vertical migration down the slopes of the 

 mountains is performed in the autumn. The journey is made al- 

 most entirely on foot, the birds following railroads, wagon roads, 

 and trails, sometimes passing close to human dwellings. The start 

 for lower altitudes is made about the first of September, and by 

 October 1 the flocks have entirely abandoned those parts of the 

 summer range above 5,000 feet. The movement has been known 

 to start as early as August 28 (Webber Lake, Calif.). The return 

 trip is made early in spring, but exact dates are not available. 



These birds have been introduced with fair success at points in 

 Washington (Whidbey Island, San Juan Island, and others) ; Brit- 

 ish Columbia (Vancouver Island and Fraser Valley) ; Idaho 

 (Nampa, Silver City, and Shoshone) ; and southeastern and western 

 Montana. Attempts to acclimatize them in the Eastern States and 

 in New Zealand have been failures. 



Egg dates. — California (palmeri) : 8 records, March 10 to June 

 20. Oregon: 24 records, May 1 to June 15; 12 records, May 29 to 

 June 6. Washington and British Columbia: 4 records, June 10 

 to 21. 



California (picta) : 50 records, April 7 to August 15; 25 records, 

 May 25 to June 20. 



Lower California (confinis) : 5 records, March 29 to May 28. 



OREORTYX PICTA PICTA (Douglas) 



PLUMED QUAIL 



HABITS 



As explained under the preceding subspecies, the scientific names 

 of the two California forms have been changed, but fortunately the 

 English names have shown more stability and will probably stand 

 as they always have. The plumed quail of the semiarid interior 

 ranges was formerly called Oreortyx picta plumifera, but will now 

 stand on our new check list as given above. This is the most widely 

 distributed and best known form in California, where it is com- 

 monly known as the mountain quail and is so named by Grinnell, 

 Bryant, and Storer (1918). 



It is the largest and handsomest of the North American quail, is 

 frequently called " partridge," and has been thought by some to 

 resemble the European partridge, although it is decidedly smaller. 

 It is a shy, retiring species, more often heard than seen. I have 

 hunted for it, where it was common and where it could frequently 

 be heard calling, and been favored with only an occasional glimpse 



