THE PARTRIDGES. 29 



brown. Feathers of neck, upper part of back, and under 

 parts generally, except on the sides and behind, with a nar- 

 row but well defined margin of blackish, producing the 

 effect of imbricated scales. Feathers on the sides streaked 

 centrally with white. Inner edge of inner tertials, and 

 tips of long feathers of the crest, whitish. Crissum rusty- 

 white, streaked with rusty. Female similar. Length, 9.50 ; 

 wing, 4.80; tail, 4.10. 



HAB. Table-lands of Mexico and Valley- of Eio Grande 

 of Texas. Most abundant on the high broken table-lands 

 and mesquite plains. Baird, Brewer and Ridgway. 



HABITS. The description of the habits of this Partridge 

 is as described in the "North American Birds," by Baird, 

 Brewer and Eidgway. They state: This bird was first 

 described as a Mexican species in 1830, by Mr. Vigors. For 

 a long while it has been an extremely rare species in col- 

 lections, and its history, habits, and distribution ^remained 

 unknown until the explorations of the naturalists made in 

 the survey under the direction of the national government. 

 It was first noticed within the territory of the United 

 States by Lieutenant Abert, Topographical Engineer, who, 

 in his Report of the examination of New Mexico, furnished 

 several notes in relation to this species. In November, 

 1846, he mentions that, after having passed through Las 

 Oasas, while descending through a crooked ravine strewn 

 with fragments of rocks, he saw several flocks of this spe- 

 cies. They were running along with great velocity among 

 the clumps of the kreosote plant. At the report of the 

 gun only three or four rose up, the rest seeming to depend 

 chiefly on their fleetness of foot. Their stomachs were 

 found to be filled with grass-seeds and hemipterous insects. 



Captain S. G-. French, in notes quoted by Mr. Cassin, 

 mentions meeting with these birds, in the same year, near 

 Camargo, on the Rio Grande. At Monterey none were 

 seen ; but on the plains of Agua Nueva, a few miles south 

 of Saltillo, they were observed in considerable numbers. 

 He afterwards met with them on the Upper Rio Grande, 

 in the vicinity of El Paso. 



