THE SCALED PARTKIJK1E. 19 



its by preference, this universally needed fluid w;is scarcely required by these 

 birds. From the repelling- nature of the country it generally frequents it is 

 naturally hunted very little; still, I found them exceedingly shy and wary ;md 

 very difficult to approach, far more so than Gambel's Partridge. It prefers 

 to trust to its legs for escape almost entirely, and is generally successful, 

 being an expert and swift runner, dodging in and out among the bushes with' 

 great ease and dexterity, consequently they are soon lost to sight. The covey 

 generally follow a leader, Indian-file fashion. Their habits seem, however, to 

 differ somewhat in other sections. 



Mr. E. W. Nelson furnishes me with the following observations about this 

 species: "In New Mexico I have found the Scaled Partridge abundant on the 

 Jornada del Muerto, and thence north along the valley of the Rio Grande to 

 the vicinity of Santa Fe and Canoncito. Near the latter place the birds occur 

 sparingly in the lower portions of the cedar and pifion belt, but as a rule the 

 Scaled Partridge is preeminently a species of the open arid plains. 



"In many instances I have found them far from water, but they make reg- 

 ular visits to the watering places. On the Jornada del Muerto and on Santa Fd 

 Creek I found them frequenting the open plains, away from the water in the 

 middle of the day, and in the vicinity of the water late in the afternoon. At 

 this time they are often seen in company with Gambel's Quail amongst the 

 bushes and coarse grass or weeds bordering the water courses. They are very 

 difficult to flush, owing to the rapidity with which they run through the bushes 

 or other vegetation. When flushed, they scatter and only fly a short distance, 

 when they alight and run on as before. 'As soon as the alarm is over the old 

 birds reunite the flock by a low call note. 



"The latter part of summer and early fall they gather into coveys, often 

 containing several broods, as I observed in 1882, in the valley of the Gila 

 River, near Clifton, Arizona. At this season they frequented the low bare hill- 

 sides, or the now dry water courses and the fields adjoining these, associating 

 with Gambel's Partridge. They are easily trapped in the fall and winter, and 

 many are caught by the natives and taken to the markets of the larger towns 

 of New Mexico and Arizona." 



Mr. William Lloyd writes me from Marfa, Texas, as follows: "The Blue 

 Quail loves a sandy table land, where they spend considerable time in taking 

 sand baths. I have often watched them doing so, pecking and chasing each 

 other like a brood of young chickens. Good clear water is a necessity to them. 

 They are local, but travel at least 3 miles for water. In the evenings they 

 retire to the smaller ridges or hillocks and their calls are heard on all 

 sides as the scattered covey collects. Several times I have seen packs num- 

 bering sixty to eighty, but coveys from twenty-five to thirty are much 

 ot'tener noticed. The mating season begins sometimes as early as March, 

 and after the female commences laying, generally about six Aveeks later, the 

 male at about sundown every fine evening, mounts a convenient bush or rock 

 and calls his mate, which approaches noiselessly and they disappear together. 



