82 



AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 



The birds seem to shun the timber, and to be most 

 abundant on the high mesas, preferring the dry and 

 barren country. Mr. Herbert Brown, however, speaks 

 of having seen them immediately about water as well as 

 far away from it. Captain Bendire, however, intimates 

 that his experience leads him to think that the bird 

 scarcely requires water. Mr. E. W. Nelson tells us 

 that, while he has often found them far from water, 

 they nevertheless make regular visits to the watering 



9385$ 



SCALED QUAIL 



places. All observers agree that they are exceedingly 

 shy and hard to approach, and that they are swift run- 

 ners, dodging in and out among the bushes with the 

 greatest ease, and soon out of sight. Even if flushed 

 they fly but a short distance, when they alight and 

 run again. Like many other gallinaceous birds, they 

 greatly enjoy taking dust and sand baths, and at such 

 times they act much like young chickens. In the eve- 

 ning they retire to roost, to ridges and knolls, and the 

 birds call to each other until the bevy has come to- 



