10 Ornithological Notes. 



run from a dog, and once flushed, are seldom found a second 

 time the same day. Their call or whistle is quite different 

 from the common quail, resembling more the cackling of a 

 very young pullet, and yet something that of a guinea-hen. 

 This call I have heard in the courting-season, when I have seen 

 the cock strutting upon the tops of cactus clusters, after the 

 manner of a turkey, only I have never seen it elevate its tail. 

 Whether this call is the usual one of the bird, or merely some 

 courting-calls, I am unable to say. I never met with this bird 

 below where the gravel ridges are found, nor much above Ring- 

 gold. I judged from what I saw and did not see, that they were 

 pretty much confined to that particular locality. 



Cyrtonyx Massena (Less.). I first saw this gaudy bird on 

 the mountains, near Saltillo, during the Mexican war. I pro- 

 cured some live specimens, and put them in a cage. In the 

 mountains they are exceedingly gentle — almost simple — but 

 when caged, are very wild, and generally injured themselves in 

 their endeavors to escape. "When flushed, they only go a few 

 yards and drop, and I believe they hide under rocks and in 

 holes. 



Chiac-ka-laca, Ortalida vetula (Wagler). In the Eio 

 Grande region, this bird is abundant. I saw them as far in the 

 interior of Mexico as the battle-field of Cerro Gordo, but never 

 higher up the river than the vicinity of Ringgold Barracks. 

 They are exceedingly noisy, both in the morning and evening. 

 I always found them upon trees when uttering their shrill cry, 

 though I have often seen them on the ground. They build 

 upon bushes near the ground (seldom over six feet), selecting 

 places that require little skill to effect their purpose. They are 

 easily domesticated, and run at large with the domestic fowls — 

 crossing with them. The cross is believed by the Mexicans to 

 be the best for game-chickens. 



The trachea of this bird is very peculiar, being very long — 



