38 FRANK SCHLEY'S PARTRIDGE AND PHEASANT SHOOTING. 



came to Eagle Springs, in a mountainous region about 

 twenty-five miles from the Bio Grande. In the spring of 

 1851, on the same route, he saw only two of these birds, 

 and was led to the "belief that they are not at all numerous. 

 They appeared to inhabit the rocky sides of the mountains 

 and hills, in the desolate region of elevated plains west of 

 the fertile portions of Texas. In no instance did he meet 

 with any of these birds near the settlements. Wild and 

 rocky hillsides seemed to be their favorite resort, where 

 trees were almost unknown and all vegetation was very 

 scant. The coveys showed but little alarm on being ap- 

 proached, and ran along over the rocks, occasionally 

 attempting to secrete themselves beneath them. In this 

 case they could be approached to within a few feet. When 

 startled by the firing of a gun, they fly but a few yards 

 before again alighting, and exhibit but little of that wild- 

 ness peculiar to all the other species of Partridge. The 

 contents of the crop in Captain French's specimens con- 

 sisted exclusively of fragments of insects, principally grass- 

 hoppers. No trace whatever of food of a vegetable char- 

 acter was found. 



Don Pablo de la Llave, quoted by Mr. Cassin, furnishes 

 the following account of the habits of this Partridge, ob- 

 served by him in specimens taken near the City of 

 Mexico. 



"It is only a few days since the third species has been 

 brought to me. It is rather smaller than the former, ((7. 

 squamata,') and its deportment is entirely different. It car- 

 ries its head habitually resting on its shoulders, the neck 

 being excessively small and deflexed, and in everything it 

 shows an amiability, and, so to speak, kindness of charac- 

 ter (una bondad de caracter\ which is not found in any other 

 species of this genus, and it is naturally so tame and do- 

 mestic as to permit itself to be caught with the hand. 

 These birds are always united, forming a covey, and when- 

 ever one is separated the others follow it. They do not, 

 like others, wish to sleep on elevated places, but sit on the 

 ground, drawing very near together. Their notes, which 



