68 



AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY. 



from their human enemies at 

 least. 



While the Bob-white will stand 

 still until discovery is certain, and 

 then take vvinjj; affording an excel- 

 lent chance for the sportsman to 

 drop him, the western bird will at 

 the first suspicion of danger pro- 

 ceed to, as the farmer would say, 

 "leggit" as fast as he can. Away 

 he goes, dodging over stones, under 

 bushes and around boulders, until he 

 has put a safe distance between 

 himself and danger. 



These birds may be found in al- 

 most any localtiy in their range in 

 the southwest. It seems to make 

 httle difference with them, whether 

 it be a dry, sandy region, a rocky 

 mountain side, or an impenetrable 

 thicket. 



They are found on the mountains 

 at an altitude of over five thousand 

 feet. As they are not generally 

 found at a very great distance from 

 water, a traveler across the sandy 

 deserts always welcomes the sight 

 of these brave little inhabitants of the 

 hot sandy waste. Mr. G. F. Bren- 

 inger of Phoenix, Arizona, in speak- 

 ing of a trip about seventy miles 

 north of that place writes: — "A 

 good portion of the road was with- 

 out water, and warnings were plac- 

 ed at watering places to warn the 

 traveler how far to the next water. 

 In crossing a canal ten miles out, 1 

 was struck with an illustration on 

 Gambel's Quail. The guide board 

 said after the index finger 'Camp 

 Creek forty miles to water,' and on 

 this stood a male Gambel's Part- 



ridge. 1 have met with this species 

 at least twenty miles from 

 water." 



They are generally quite abun- 

 dant in their localities, and in the 

 spring coveys of them can be found 

 scratching about in the sand and 

 chasing grasshoppers and other in- 

 sects. At this time they are very 

 sociable and are constantly calling 

 to each other with a low, rapidly 

 repeated, and rather harsh whistle. 

 During the intense heat of the Ari- 

 zona summer these game birds pre- 

 fer to remain in the shady spots in 

 the creek bottoms. 



During the mating and breeding 

 season, according to Capt. Bendire, 

 the male frequently utters a call like 

 "Yuk-kae-ja, yuk-kae-ja," each 

 syllable distinctly articulated and 

 the last two somewhat drawn out. 

 He says: — "A trim, handsome and 

 proud looking cock, whose more 

 sombre colored mate had a nest 

 close by, used an old mesquite stump 

 about four feet high and not more 

 than twenty feet from my tent as 

 his- favorite perch, and 1 had many 

 excellent opportunities to watch him 

 closely. Standing perfectly erect 

 with his beak straight up in the air, 

 his tail slightly spread, and wings 

 somewhat drooping, he uttered his 

 call in a clear strong voice every 

 few minutes for half an hour or so, 

 or until disturbed by something. 

 This he repeated several times a 

 day. I consider it a call of chal- 

 lenge or of exultation, and it was 

 generally taken up by any other 

 male m the vicinity at the time." 



