402 RESOURCES OP CALIFORNIA. 



whistle, sounding like " Bob White." The song of the Cali- 

 fornian quail has but one note, beginning like the " Bob, 1 ' and 

 ending like the" White " of its Eastern relative. The calls of 

 the Atlantic and Pacific quails are nearly alike, and may be 

 represented by the syllables " hi-re-he." " As a game-bird," 

 says Dr. Newberry, " the Californian quail is inferior to the 

 Eastern one, though perhaps of equal excellence for the table. 

 It does not lie as well to the dog, and does not afford a good 

 sport. It also takes a tree more readily than the Atlantic 

 quail. Like its Eastern relative, the cock-bird is very fond of 

 sitting on some stump or log projecting above the grass and 

 weeds which conceal his mate and nest or brood, and especially 

 in the early morning, uttering his peculiar cry." 



The plumed quail, (Oreortyx pictus) likewise called the 

 " mountain quail," while the Lophortyx californicus is often 

 styled the " valley quail," is peculiar to this Coast, and is one 

 of the most beautiful features of its ornithology. It is a par- 

 tridge, ten inches long, very plump in shape, handsome in 

 color, majestic in its bearing, and graceful in motion. Its head 

 is surmounted by a crest of two straight feathers, three and a 

 half inches long, which hang backward, one immediately over 

 the other. The breast and neck are lead-colored, the upper 

 parts generally olive brown ; the throat and head, beneath the 

 eyes, orange-chestnut ; the abdomen white. There are numer- 

 ous variegations of white, black, and minor shades, on the 

 plumage, all contributing to heighten its beauty. 



The mountain partridge lives in the hills and mountains, 

 from the Tejon Pass to the Columbia River. Its song sug- 

 gests the sound represented by the word " whoit," whistled 

 fuller and louder than the song of the Californian quail. It 

 roosts upon the ground ; and if bushes be near, in* which to 

 hide, it will rather run than fly from its enemies. It seldom 

 flies more than two hundred yards at a time. The cock is 

 equally attentive with the hen to the young brood, which usu- 

 .ally varies from eight to twelve in number. The families seem 



