THE CALIFORNIA PARTRIDGES 127 



I scattered a flock one day, when a cock-bird lit 

 upon a rock quite near, and standing where the sun- 

 light fell upon his shining feathers, I was able to ob- 

 serve him closely for some time. He had the same 

 trim outline and jaunty pose as our own Bob-white, 

 but his gay plumage and long, black plume caused me 

 to regard him as more beautiful. I had no desire to 

 shoot him and presently he flew away. Large game 

 of all sorts was abundant. I had been shooting for 

 some weeks in the Rocky Mountains and on the 

 plains. Even the large blue- or dusky-grouse was not 

 inviting as a mark. 



The birds are much wilder now than formerly and 

 far less abundant. There are few places where a large 

 bag could be secured, but their pursuit leads the 

 sportsman into wild and picturesque localities, into 

 forests of gigantic trees, on mountain sides, beside the 

 streams of pure water, and beautiful cascades. While 

 rambling on a pony in the woods one is inclined to 

 forgive the ungamelike habit of the birds, which, as 

 Bendire has said, is very trying to the human and 

 perfectly exasperating and bewildering to the dog. 



THE VALLEY PARTRIDGE 



Upon a journey to far-famed Yosemite I first saw 

 the smaller California partridges, known throughout 

 the State as the valley partridges. 



They were extremely abundant along the road and 

 in large flocks ran before the horses upon a near ap- 

 proach, and sometimes took wing and whirred away 

 into the chapparal The flight of these birds is swift 



