760 



SYSTEMA TIC SYNOPSIS. — GALLINjE — ALECTOROPODES. 



white lines. Outer webs of sprouting quills marked with blackish and whitish. Throat white ; 

 other under parts narrowly barred with black and tawny-white, striped lengthwise with pure 

 white. Sprouting tail-feathers like primaries. Pullets, quarter-grown, 6.U0-7.00 long: 

 Leaden-gray, becoming tawny on wings, which are still a little mottled as above described ; 

 below, light gray, nearly white on throat and belly. Breast waved with light and dark gray, 

 ■ndth traces of white stripes. Sides under wings slightly fulvous or rufescent, but without defi- 

 nite stripes. Quills plain dusky ; tail-feathers more plumbeous, marked with blackish and 

 whitish. A broad white superciliary line. With progress of the fall moult this dress changes 

 for one like that of the adults, and sexes are soon distinguishable. Eggs indefinitely numerous, 

 8-12-20, averaging 1.25 X 1.00, pyramidal, narrow and pointed at one end, very obtuse the 

 other; color buff" or rich creamy, dotted and spotted all over with bright brown, splashed here 



Fig. 513. — Gambel's Quail. ^Fiom The Ooprey.) 



and there with large blotches of same or a darker brown ; the tone varies much, but in gen- 

 eral is heavier than in L. californica, and under some circumstances there is a peculiar bloom 

 on the brown markings obscuring their richness ; they are laid all through spring and summer. 

 Nest on the ground like that of any other Partridge, occasionally in a bush, or a nest of some 

 other bird appropriated. New Mexico and Arizona, both in mountains and valleys, very 

 abundant; N. to Nevada and Utah; S. into Mexico; E. to Pecos and San Elizario, Texas, 

 beyond which replaced by the Massena Partridge; W. beyond the Colorado River, in south- 

 eastern California to San Bernardino Co., the range thus overlapping that of L. californica; 

 and hybrids occur where the two species meet, as noted in Auk, July, 1885, pp. 247-249. 

 The characteristic game bird of Arizona, and much of the ''Great American Desert." The 

 subspecies described as Callipepla gamheli deserticola Stephens; Auk, Oct. 1895, p. 371, is 

 not admitted by the A. 0. U. 



CALLIPEP'LA. (Gr. KaWmtirXos, kallipeplos, beautifully arrayed.) Shell Quail. Gen- 

 eral character of Lopliortijx, but head with a short, full, soft crest as in Cyrtonyx (fig. 514), 

 nothing like the elegant helmet-plumes or pompons of the preceding genus. Tail long, about 

 f the length of wing, unique in Oclonto]yhorin(B in having 14 rectrices. Coloration of under 



