118 NESTS AND EGGS OF NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 



480/^. Texan Quail — ortyx virginiana texana. Eggs smaller than 

 those of 0. virginiana ; nesting the same. Color of the bird paler than that 



of O. V. floridana. Hab, Texas. 



481. Mountain Quail — oreortyx picta. Cream color with a reddish 

 tint, distinguished from those of the Ruffed Grouse by their smaller size; 

 six to twelve are the usual numbers laid; size about 1.45 by 1.15. The 

 beautiful Plumed Partridge, which is much larger than our Bob-white, in- 

 habits the mountainous regions of Oregon, California, and Nevada. The 

 nest is made on the ground. Mr. Otto Emerson informs me that this 

 species nests in the higher mountain ranges, not much below 4,000 feet. 



482. Californian Quail — lophortvx californica. Creamy- white, 

 marked with scattered spots of chestnut-brown, golden-red, and some- 

 times light drab; the number ranges from eight to twenty-four; size about 

 1.25 by I. In shape they are like those of 0. virginiana. The Cali- 

 fornian Partridge or Valley Quail inhabits the lower portions of California 

 and Oregon, where it is very abundant, and also Eastward nearly to the 

 Colorado River. The nest is made on the giound and it is often found in 

 curious places. Mr. Emerson says it is sometimes placed in the garden, 

 within twenty feet of the doorway; he saw eggs of this Quail laid in the 

 nest of chickens that had hidden their nests in a barn-yard, and it is com- 

 monly found under hedges, bushes, brush-heaps; even in the grass by the 

 wayside. 



483. Gambel's Quail — lophortyx gambeli. Creamy-white, marked 

 with spots of chestnut-red and golden-brown, like the California Quail; 

 eight to sixteen in number; size and shape the same. Nest like that of 

 any other partridge. This is a characteristic game bird of Arizona and 

 New Mexico, and it is abundant on mountains and in valleys. It is found 

 as far east as Western Texas, west to the Colorado River, north to South- 

 ern Utah. In Texas it is replaced by the Massena Quail. 



484. Scaled Quail — callipepla squamata. Creamy-white, speckled 

 with dots of grayish or drab, sometimes reddish; eight to sixteen in num- 

 ber; size 1.25 by .98. The nesting habits are the same as the other part- 

 ridges. The beautiful Blue Quail is distributed throughout Texas, New 

 Mexico, Arizona and southward, but is far less numerous than the crested 

 quails. 



486. Great White Heron; Wurdemann's Heron — ardea occiden- 

 TALis. Light bluish-green, rather elliptical in form, unspotted; size from 

 2. to 2.45 long by 1.80 to 1.85 broad. This beautiful, majestic bird 



