SAN PEDRO PARTRIDGE. 



f HAVE never seen this bird alive. Its range appears 

 * to be restricted to the San Pedro Mountains, Lower 

 Cahfornia, where it is found from the foothills to the tops 

 of the loftiest peaks, estimated to be over 12,000 feet in 

 height. The discoverer of this race, Mr. Anthony, writes 

 to Captain Bendire that it is not common below 2500 

 feet of elevation, that the call notes are a soft, far-reaching 

 " Chay chay," like the notes of a flute in sweetness. The 

 alarm note was a soft " ch-ch-ch-e-e-ea, ch-e-e-ea," which 

 increased with the appearance of danger to a harder 

 ** kee-ke-ea," and this last cry is taken up by every mem- 

 ber of the covey as they draw away. When taking wing 

 a loud " pit pit " is often heard. In his remarks on this 

 race, Mr. Anthony says he found this bird quite abun- 

 dant from 6000 to 10,000 feet above the sea, occurring 

 wherever water and timber afforded it drink and shelter 

 (" seeking the shelter of the manzanitas, from whence 

 their clear, mellow notes were heard morning and even- 

 ing, so suggestive of cool brooks and rustling pines, but 

 so out of place in the hot, barren hills of that region ")• 



Flocks wintered around this camp at Valladores, six 

 miles from the base of the range at an elevation of 2500 

 feet, and a few pair bred there, but by March nearly all 

 had disappeared, moving higher up the mountains. The 

 nest was a mere hollow under a manzanita bush, and 

 filled with dry leaves of the lilac and manzanita, and the 

 eggs are creamy white and unspotted. 



47 



