476 



NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Oreortyx pictus. 



a short distance behind by black, bounded anteriorly and superiorly by white, of which 

 color is a short line behind the eye. Posterior half of the body beneath white ; a large 



central patch anteriorly (bifurcat- 

 3935 5 ...<'1^Sv^'^'^^^:;^:s4t7vci^^S^-_--_, ing behind), with the flanks and 



tibial feathers, orange chestnut- 

 brown ; the sides of body showing 

 black and white bands, the former 

 color tinged with chestnut. Un- 

 der tail-coverts black, streaked 

 with orange-chestnut. Upper 

 tertials margined internally with 

 whitish. Female differing only 

 in slightly shorter crest. Length,, 

 10.50 ; wing, 5.00 ; tail, 3.25. Juv. 

 Body, generally, pale brown, the feathers of the upper parts minutely barred with darker, 

 and with medial shaft-streaks of blackish ; lower plumage plain brown. Breast clear 

 ashy, presenting a well-defined area. Head pale brown, similar to, but lighter than, the 

 body, with a conspicuous vertical and lateral (auricular) broad stripe of dark umber- 

 brown. Feathers of the flanks blackish, broadly bordered with dingy whitish. A short 

 truncated tuft of hair-like feathers on the crown. (Described from figures in Grayson's 

 plate.) 



Hab. Mountain-ranges of California and Oregon towards the coast. Nevada (eastern 

 slope and foot-hills of the Sierra Nevada; Ridgway). 



There are two quite different races of this species, but which, however^ 

 pass gradually into each other, and must be considered as merely the 

 extremes of one species. Tliey may be defined as follows : — 



1. Var. pictus. Pure ash confined to the pectoral region; the russet- 

 brown or rusty-olivaceous of the upper parts covering whole neck and 

 crown ;» forehead entirely ashy. $. Wing, 5.25 ; tarsus shorter than middle 

 toe (1.27 ; middle toe, 1.30). Hah. Washington Territory, Oregon, and 

 upper coast region of California. 



2. Var. plumiferus. Pure ash covering whole pectoral region, and 

 crown, nape, and upper part of back ; the grayish-olivaceous above confined 

 to the posterior parts. Forehead distinctly whitish. Wing, 5.25 ; tarsus 

 longer than middle toe (1.27 ; middle toe, 1.25). Hab. Sierra Nevada, 

 and Southern California to Cape St. Lucas. 



Habits. The Mountain Quail of California is said by Dr. Newberry ta 

 be similar in some respects to the common Partridge of Europe. It is no- 

 where very common, but occurs sparingly throughout the entire length of 

 California and Oregon to at least the Columbia, and probably beyond it, 

 having much the same range with the californicus, though everywhere a 

 rarer bird, and always confined to the hills and mountains. Its habits are 

 similar to those of the other species of this family, but it is less gregarious, 

 and is more shy. It is usually found in the chaparral, where it is put up 

 with difficulty, as it seeks safety by running on the ground rather than by 

 flight. On the first of August, at the base of Lassen's Butte, Dr. Newberry 

 found a solitary hen with a brood of very young chicks. The brood scattered 

 like young Partridges, uttering a piping note like that of young chickens. 



