480 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



Young. Head as in the adult female. Upper parts pale brown, finely mottled trans- 

 versely with black; scapulars and feathers of the back with yellowish-white shaft-streaks, 

 widening at the end of the feather, and with a large black spot on each web. 



Chick. Ground-color dingy white, tinged on the head, wings, and upper parts with 

 pale rusty. A broad stripe on occiput and nape umber-brown ; upper parts with rather 

 confused and rather elongated mottlings; an indistinct auricular spot. Beneath plain dull 

 white. 



Hab. Valley portions and foot-hills of the Pacific Province of the United States, south 

 to Cape St. Lucas. 



Habits. This beautiful species, according to Dr. Newberry, is called the 

 Valley Quail in California, to distinguish it from the Plumed Quail, which 

 inhabits the hills and the highlands, and is called the Mountain Quail. 

 The common Valley Quail of California inhabits the prairies and the grain- 

 fields of the cultivated districts, and frequents the thickets which border 

 the streams, usually in coveys of from a dozen to a hundred individuals, 

 except during the breeding-season, when it is found only in pairs. Like the 

 eastern Quail, the male bird is very fond of sitting on some stump or log 

 projecting above the grass and weeds which conceal his mate and nest or 

 brood, and, especially in the early morning, uttering his peculiar cry, — 

 whistle it can hardly be called. This note is spoken of as being rather 

 harsh and disagreeable than otherwise, and somewhat resembling that of 

 some of the Woodpeckers. Dr, Newberry adds that it may be represented 

 by the syllables kuch-kllck-huek-kd, the first three notes being rapidly re- 

 peated, the last prolonged with a falling inflection. As a game bird he 

 regards this Quail as inferior to the eastern one, though of equal excellence 

 for the table. It does not lie so well to the dog, does not afford as good 

 sport, and takes to a tree much more readily than the eastern Quail. It 

 is found in all the valleys of California and Oregon, l^oth those in the interior 

 and those that open on the coast. It is not found in the deep forests, nor 

 on the mountains at any considerable elevation, nor in the interior basin 

 where water and vegetation are scarce. Specimens were taken by his party 

 in different parts of the Sacramento Valley, at Fort Jones, and in the Wil- 

 lamette Valley, near the Columbia. In all these there was no appreciable 

 difierence. This bird is said to make no elaborate nest, but to lay a large 

 number of eggs on the ground, which are generally hatched in June. Tliis 

 bird is susceptible of domestication, and forms quite an ornament for parks, 

 in wliicli they thrive with proper care. 



Dr. Suckley states that this Quail was successfully introduced into 

 Washington Territory, on the prairies near Puget Sound, in the spring of 

 1857, by Governor Charles H. Mason and Mr. Goldsborough. Two lots 

 were introduced, and by the following winter had increased largely. Mr. 

 Gibbs mentions havino- met with 2rreat numbers of these birds on Russian 

 Eiver in 1851, and again on the Klamath in 1852, They were very tame, 

 but took to the bushes when disturbed, perching on the limbs. Like the 

 Sharp-tailed Grouse, they gathered in large flocks. This was the case even 



