206 NATURAL UISTOUY OF DIIIDS. 



America, near their t<i))s, in tiie sunny spots made by fallen trees, and when fright- 

 ened run swiftly, only taking flight when ajiinoached quite suddenly. In Brazil, 

 OdoiUupkorus dintulus is said to resemble the hazel-grouse of Euroj)e in its mode of 

 life, never n|i|)earing in the open country, but always remaining in the thick woods, 

 and feeds on fruits, berries, insects, etc. In the niDrning and evening it is accustomed 

 to perch on a branch, several indiviiliials in a line, and the male utters a loud cry 

 which reverberates to a great distance. It nests on the ground and lays from ten to 

 fifteen pure white eggs. When flushed, the birds fly to the trees, where, amid the 

 dense foliage, it is very diflicult to pen'eive them. The flesh is ]>alatable, and the 

 sexes, like all the species of the genus, differ but little in the color of their plumage. 



Two beautiful species constitute the genus Lopltorti/jr, /,. califoniiciis and 1.. gunu 

 belli. They bear some resemblance to each other, both having black throats, and 

 sides of the head marked with white, blue breasts, and a black crest composed of from 

 five to ten feathei-s springing from one spf)t. These are eidargeil at the to]) and curl 

 over forwards. The webs bend l>ackwar«l, and fold over the feather succeeiling, and all 

 form one bunch, usually drooping forwanl, but freely movable. The hen's crest is 

 shorter, and brownish in hue. The species differ greatly in the coloring of the lower 

 ])arts. The L.gamhdii lias the up])er part of the abdomen buff, lower jiart black, while 

 the L. ciilij'oriiira has the up]ier jiart golden Virown, rest chestnut, each feather 

 edged witli black. This latter species is found in Washington Territory anil Cali- 

 fornia, while the X. gambelii is a native of Arizona, New Me.\ico, and northern 

 Mexico. 



The mountain-quail, or jdiimed-partriclge, as the Oreortyx picttts is usually called, 

 is a large ancl very handsome binl. Its habitat is limited, being exclusively the 

 mountain ranges of California and Oiegon. The head is ornamented by two long 

 slender feathers arching towards the occiput, the throat is chestnut, neck and breast 

 dark gray, sides and abdomen deep chestnut ; the feathers of the former edged with 

 white, those of the latter banded alternately with black and white. It utters a faint 

 chirp when alarmed, associates in flocks of fifteen or twenty, lives on seeds and insects, 

 and the flesh is excellent. CallipcjJd sqiaunata, the blue-iiuail of Arizona and Mex- 

 ico, has a soft, full crest of short feathers, and differs from all the group of so-called 

 (|uails in America by presenting little or no variation in the ])Iumage of the sexes. It 

 is especially a terrestrial binl, rarely taking refuge in trees or bushes iniless very hard 

 j)ressed, but runs over even iliflieuil ground with much swiftness. Like all quail, the 

 lien lays a large number of eggs, and their color in this species is buffy white, thickly 

 dotted with light-brown specks. JCiipxi/c/iorti/x is the last genus containing the 

 ])Iumed or crested-jjartriilges. The sjiecies are natives of Mexico, Guatemala and 

 northern South America, and are all provided with short, soft crests, and are very 

 abundant in the localities they frequent. Three very ))eculiarly ajipearing species are 

 contained in the genus (\i/rto/n/.i; their heads being striped with black and white after 

 the manner of a clown in the circus. They dwell in Mexico, one species only, C mas- 

 seiKi, extending its range north into Arizona. They are stated to be very gentle in 

 their habits, exhibiting but little fear of man, go in small coveys, and live chiefly amid 

 wilil, roi'ky and liarren tracts. 



Oiii/j: vii-f/iiiiaititg, our familiar "Bol) AVIiile," with his relatives, O.floridamis 

 of Florida and 0. texamis of Texas, is most widely and generally known. It is the 

 <|uail of the northern an<l the ]iartridge of the southern I'^nited States, and is widely 

 disseminated over the eastern states and jiortions of Canada. It is so well known, both 



