PERDICID^ — THE PARTRIDGES. 483 



An adult male collected in Southern Utah by Mr. Henshaw of Lieu- 

 tenant Wheeler's Expedition differs from all others which we have seen, 

 including a large series from the same locality, in having the abdomen 

 chiefly plumbeous, with a few cloudings of black, in the place of a uni- 

 formly black patch. Except in this respect, however, it does not differ at 

 all from other adult male specimens. 



Habits. Gambel's Partridge was obtained by Dr. Kennerly, near San 

 Elizario, Texas, and on Colorado Eiver, California, by Mr. A. Schott, and also 

 by Dr. Kennerly. It was not observed by Dr. Kennerly until he reached 

 the valley of the Eio Grande, nor did he meet with any farther west, in any 

 part of Mexico, than San Bernardino, in Sonora. Though closely resembling 

 in its habits the Scaly Partridge iJJalli'pc'pla squamata), and in some instances 

 occupying the same districts, he never found the two species together. 



According to Mr. J. H. Clark, this species was not met with east of the 

 Eio Grande, nor farther south than Presidio del Norte. Unlike the squamata, 

 it is very common for this species to sit on the branches of trees and bushes, 

 particularly the male, where the latter is said to utter the most sad and 

 wailing notes. They are so very tame as to come about the Mexican 

 towns, the inhabitants of which, however, never make any effort to cap- 

 ture them. They only inhabit wooded and well-w^atered regions, and are 

 said to feed indifferently on insects or on berries ; in summer they make 

 the patches of Solanum their home, feeding on its quite palatable fruit. 

 When flushed, this Quail always seeks the trees, and hides successfully 

 among the branches. 



Dr. Kennerly found this beautiful species in great numbers during the 

 march of his party up the Eio Grande. Large flocks were continually 

 crossing the road before them, or were seen huddled together under a bush. 

 After passing the river he met with them again so abundantly along Par- 

 tridge Creek as to give rise to the name of that stream. Thence to the 

 Great Colorado he occasionally saw them, but after leaving that river they 

 were not again seen. They are said to become quite tame and half do- 

 mesticated where they are not molested. When pursued, they can seldom 

 be made to fly, depending more upon their feet as a mode of escape than 

 upon their wings. They run very rapidly, but seldom, if ever, hide, and 

 remain close in the grass or bushes in the manner of the eastern Quail. 



From Fort Yuma, on the Colorado Eiver, to Eagle Springs, between El 

 Paso and San Antonio, where he last saw a flock of these birds. Dr. Heer- 

 mann states he found them more or less abundant whenever the party fol- 

 lowed the course of the Gila, or met with water-holes or streams of any 

 kind. Although they frequent the most arid portions of the country, where 

 they find a scanty subsistence of grass-seed, mesquite leaves, and insects, 

 they yet manifest a marked preference for the habitations of man, and were 

 much more numerous in the cultivated fields of Tucson, Mesilla Valley, and 

 El Paso. Towards evening, in the vicinity of the Mexican villages, the loud 



