50 THE OREGON NATURALIST. 



no record can be found of the California Part- tree. 



ridge inhabiting the region any where around "They sometimes lay their eggs in a Grouse, 



Portland or Pheasant nest," 



"Last summer, as I was going through a Mr. Arthur L. Pope, of McMinnville, writes: 



wooded piece of land, I suddenly ran on to an "The Mountain Partridge, begins its call 



old mother quail, and when she flew, the about the same time as the Sooty Grouse, the 



ground seemed literally alive with young ones, time varying with the season." 



I caught nine of them and by that time all the "All the nests that have come to my notice, 



rest had escaped. Six to fifteen eggs of a were found in June, and I have collected fre^h 



cream color a-e usually layed. Of six nests I eggs in the latter part of that month. As I 



have examined, two were beside large fir trees, have not known of any eggs being found in 



and contained ten and fifteen eggs respectively, any other month, I am led to believe that 



two were beside small stumps,and contained ten only one brood is raised in a season. Their 



and fifteen eggs; one was under a cedar bush, nests do not differ materially from those of the 



and had six eggs, and tlie last was near an old grouse. Sometimes they are well concealed, 



house, and contained twelve eggs. Only two and at other times conspicuously in plain view, 



of these sets were fresh. '■■ A nest found last senson was situated in the 



Mr. Ellis F. Hadley, of Xewherg, writes: side of a small bank; a tree was growing on 



''I have .several Mountain Partridges, in con- the bank, and its roots which had been washed 



finement in an aviary, and they are as healthy bare by high water, were hanging down the 



and as well contented as those outside. Two side of the bank, and in behind these roots 



pair I have had about three years. For a was the Partridge's nest, containing fourteen 



while, I had about a dozen of these birds, but fresh eggs — a queer place furnished with the 



they all escaped, and with the exception of finest of natures curtains. The eggs are nearly 



four birds, they all went away, but these four, always badly stained on one side." 



stayed about the yard and tried to get back in Mr Hoskins states that this bird usually be- 



the aviary, and they were lame enough to let gins its call in February, but this year he heard 



us catch them and put them back. one on January 23d, He has a pair of these 



"They lay in confinement, and begin about birds in confinement, and at the proper time 



April 25th; but I have in the past, had too last year they made a nest inside a small box, 



many in the inclosure, and they would not in- that was in the avairy, scratching out a small 



cubate the eggs« hollow in the ground and lining it with fir 



"Mountain Partridges, gather in bands leaves, which was the only material they could 



of from eight to forty in the fall, and stay in get. They layed fourteen eggs, laying I be- 



bands all winter, till about March 15th, when lieve, about one every three days. The hen 



they begin to pair. set on them, and about the last of June hatched 



"They generally roost on the ground, but I them all. Although small, they were very 



have a few times, on a wet stoiniy night seen bright, and when any one came near the en- 



a whole band go up in some bushy young fir closure, they would get out and hide in the 



