30 FRANK Schley's partmdgk and pheasant shootins. 



• 



Tliough found in tlic same section of country with Giim- 

 bel's Quail, they were not observed to associate together in 

 the same flo(!k. Their favorite resorts were sandy chaj)- 

 arral and mesquite bushes. Through these they ran with 

 great swiftness, resorting only, when greatly alarmed by a 

 sudden approach, to their wings. They were very shy, 

 and were seldom found near habitations, though once a 

 large covey ran through his camp in the suliurbs of El 

 Paso. 



Colonel McCall (Proc. Phil. Ac, Y., p. 222) mentions meet- 

 ing with this species throughout an extended region, from 

 Camargo, on the Lower Eio Grande, to Santa Fe. They 

 were most numerous between the latter place and Dona Ana, 

 preferring the vicinity of water-courses to interior tracts. 

 They were M'ild, exceedingly watchful, and swift of foot, 

 eluding pursuit with surpi-ising skill, scarcely ever resort- 

 ing to flight even on the open sandy ground. For the table 

 they are said to possess, in a high degree, the j-cquisites of 

 plumj) muscle and delicate flavor. 



In a subsequent sketch of this species, quotetl by Mr. 

 Cassin, the same writer gives as the habitat at the entire 

 Valley of the Rio Grande, — a territory of great extent from 

 north to south, and embracing in its stretch between the 

 Ilocky Mountains and the Gulf of Mexico every variety of 

 climate. This entire region, not excepting even the moun- 

 tain Valleys covered in winter with deep snow, is inhabited 

 by it. It Avas found by him from the 2r)th to the 38th de- 

 gree of north latitude, or from below jMonterey, in Mexico, 

 along the borders of the San Juan Eiver, as high u]» as the 

 Taos and other northern branches of the Rio Grande. lie 

 also found it at the head of the Riado Creek, which rises 

 in the Rocky Mountains and i-uns eastwurdly to the Cana- 

 dian. 



Wlierevci- Jound, they are alwa^'s resident. ]»roving their 

 altility to endure great extremes of heat and cold. In 

 swijtness of foot, no species of this family can c()iu])ete 

 with them. When running, the}' hold thru- heails high 

 and kee]) the body erect, and seem to skim over the sur- 



