506 



GAME BIRDS OF CALIFORNIA 



From other quails found in California, the Mountain Quail may- 

 be distinguished at once by its large size, rich chestnut throat and 

 sides, the latter broadlj' banded with black and white, and by the 

 long slender topknot or plume made up of two jet black 

 feathers (pi. 14 and fig. 81). This species also is pecul- 

 iar in that the males and females are almost indis- 

 tinguishable both as to size and coloration. The only- 

 points of difference we can make out are the usually 

 shorter plume, the extension of the brown of back for- 

 ward to hind neck, and the slightly duller tones of color 

 on the under surface of the female. The call of the 

 Mountain Quail, as described farther on, is so strikingly 

 unlike that of the Valley Quail that the two species can 

 be easily recognized as far as they can be heard. 



The mating season of the Mountain Quail begins in 

 the latter part of March or the first part of 

 April, according to altitude, when the flocks 

 lireak up, and the pairs sequester themselves, 

 selecting favorable nesting 

 ■^ grounds. Three or four 



;:5^- weeks later a nest is con- 



'^^-'-T^-^ structed of leaves, pine 



needles, or grass, and from 

 five to fifteen eggs of a uni- 

 form pale reddish buff 

 color are laid therein. The 

 nest is invariably 

 placed on the 

 ground under the 

 protection of an 

 overhanging rock, 

 log, bush, or clump 

 of grass. An indi- 

 cation that an in- 

 complete set of 

 eggs is in the near 

 vicinity is said to 

 be the presence of 

 a pair of Mountain Quail walking sedately aloiig a road or across 

 a forest opening, the male leading with plume erect and the female 

 walking close behind (Keyes, 1905, p. 14). The earliest nesting date 

 on record is April 7 for the southern part of the state, when Mr. 

 Frank Stephens found a ''full set" ; the latest date given is August 15, 

 for Shasta County (Bendire, 1892, p. 16). Complete sets are most 



Fig. 81. Head of Mountain Quail showing long 

 sti-aight slender plume. Natural size. 



