366 



CALIFORNIA FISU AND GAME 



sufficient period of time had elapsed, the quail were sorted, banded with 

 aluminmn ]og bands and liberated at various ])oints throu<i:hout southern 

 Calii'uruia. 



It was to be expected that a certain percentage of loss would be 

 incurred in handling a large number of birds, and anticipating the 

 situation, it was stii)ulated that the trappers rather than tli(> Divi- 

 sion should assume responsibility for most of the loss. Conse- 

 quently, proper deductions were made on payment. It was hoped that 

 this arrangement would result in more careful handling of the birds on 

 the part of the trap])ers and that a lower percentage of loss would 

 follow. 



"We paid a visit to a quail trapper's camp in Lower California. It 

 was late in the evening when we arrived at their bivouac. The darkness 



Fig. l;!7. Typical L,ower Calit'ornia quail cover near San Qiiiiuin. I'liolo liy 



G. H. True, Jr. 



allowed us to see but little of our iininediate surroundings, but to the 

 eastward we could nuike out the rugged peaks of the ISan I'edro jMartir, 

 against the sky outlined by a full moon. The trapi)ers, or cordoniceros 

 as they call themselves, were squatted about their fires preparing supper. 

 On each fire was a blackened ])ot of coffee aiul an e(|ually blackened pot 

 of frijoles. At one tire, a young Mexican was busily engaged in trans- 

 forming unhealthy looking lumps of dough into deliciously crisp tor- 

 tillas. So interested were we in that particular phase of Mexican 

 cookery that it was with a feeling of reluctance that we withdrew to a 

 discreet distance, pitched our own camp and hastened to care, Amer- 

 ican fashion, for the needs of the inner man. As we attacked a rapidly 

 vanishing mountain of ham and eggs, one Domingo produced a battered 

 guitar and a hastily organized trio of young cordoniceros proceeded 

 to fill the moonlit night with Spanish melody. Tired out, we soon 

 sought our blankets while still forms about slowly dying fires told us 

 that our ]\Iexican hosts were likewise consigning themselves to the 

 forgetf ulness of repose. 



