In the Sierra 



mental crest worn jauntily like a feather 

 in a boy's cap, giving it a very marked 

 ippearance. This species is considerably 

 larger than the valley quail, so common 

 >n the hot foothills. They seldom alight 

 in trees, but love to wander in flocks of 

 om five or six to twenty through the 

 :eanothus and manzanita thickets and over 

 open, dry meadows and rocks of the ridges 

 where the forest is less dense or wanting, 

 ittering a low clucking sound to enable 

 :hem to keep together. When disturbed 

 :hey rise with a strong birr of wing-beats, 

 ind scatter as if exploded to a distance of 

 quarter of a mile or so. After the danger 

 past they call one another together with 

 louder piping note, Nature's beautiful 

 lountain chickens. I have not yet found 

 their nests. The young of this season are 

 ilready hatched and away, - - new broods 

 >f happy wanderers half as large as their 

 >arents. I wonder how they live through 

 :he long winters, when the ground is snow- 

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