THE SOUTHWESTERN PARTRIDGES 135 



tremendous. The scaled-partridge is of a slate-blue 

 color, but it has peculiar markings, which resemble 

 imbricated scales, and which, of course, suggested the 

 name. It is a handsome bird, and has a crest which it 

 can elevate. The crest-feathers are tipped with white, 

 and the bird is sometimes called white-crested quail. 



The scaled-partridge is most abundant in the valley 

 01 the Rio Grande. It flies like the other partridges, 

 and presents similar shots when one can get within 

 range of it. The ground where it lives is covered for 

 the most part with many varieties of cactus, and every 

 living thing in the vegetation line seems to have a 

 thousand spines attached to it, which would render 

 the dog useless if the birds were willing, which they 

 are not, to allow him to approach. 



They are often seen in the roads, and by driving or 

 riding along with a horse that will stand fire some 

 shots may be obtained; but the sportsman who goes in 

 to retrieve his birds may spend the rest of the day 

 picking spines out of his legs, so that the sport is for 

 several reasons not very attractive. The precise range 

 and description of the bird are fully given in the notes. 



THE MASSENA PARTRIDGE 



The Massena partridge is one of the few game birds 

 that I have never had the pleasure of meeting, but I 

 have always taken an especial interest in it, not only 

 on account of its peculiar bizarre appearance, but for 

 the reason that my information led me to believe that 

 this partridge was more like Bob-white than any of 

 the other American partridges — in other words, that 



