222 PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 



thick, and be most injurious to the well-broken, highly-bred 

 dog. However, when flushed, their flight is swift, although 

 not protracted, and no small amount of skill and practice 

 is necessary for the shooter to become a certain shot at 

 this description of game. Like the Virginian bird, they 

 frequently breed twice in the year, and at each sitting, if 

 no accident occur, or wet weather supervene, which in their 

 habitat is unusual, hatch from eight to ten young; thus it 

 is easily understood how they are so abundant. 



Although not migratory, they are very erratic in their 

 habits; the same cause as in the Virginian ortyx being 

 doubtless the reason. 



From a custom they possess of sunning and dusting 

 themselves in very exposed and bare situations, immense 

 numbers fall victims to the birds of prey ; in fact, in Cali- 

 fornia, I believe they form the principal food for the numer- 

 ous species of FalconidaB that infest its mountain ranges ; 

 report also states that the snakes have a penchant for them, 

 and prefer them to all other articles of food. This is scarce- 

 ly to be wondered at when we consider how defenseless 

 they are when seized, their excessive tameness, and last, 

 not least, their delicacy of flesh, if the taste of birds of 

 prey and snakes is to lie judged of by that of the human 

 family. 



In Sonora and the south-western boundary of the Apache 

 range of country they are captured, with nets and snares, 

 in immense numbers by the Indians, it being no unusual 

 thing for hundreds to be taken in a single, day. 



While residing in China, at Hong Kong, the idea struck 

 several friends and myself, from the constant communica- 

 tion there was between the Celestial Land and San Francis- 

 co by ship, that we might import these little beauties and 

 acclimate them there. After some delay we received about 

 twenty couple, eight of which we turned out in Ty-tan Val- 



