126 



THE CALIFORNIAN ORTYX. 



Qrtyx Californica. STEPHENS. 

 PLATE XL 



Californian colin, Ortyx Californica, Stephens, Continua- 

 tion, vol. xi. p. 384. Californian Quail, Gardens of Zoo- 

 Logical Society, ii. p. 29. a beautiful woodcut. 



THIS graceful and beautifully marked species is 

 found in the low woods and plains of California, and 

 was met with during both the voyages of La Pe- 

 rouse and Vancouver ; and a figure is given in the 

 atlas of plates accompanying the former. A single spe- 

 cimen, part of the produce of the latter voyage, was 

 deposited in the British Museum, and served for the 

 descriptions and figures given in this country, pre- 

 vious to the return of Captain Beechey from his voy- 

 age to the Pacific, &c., who brought with him speci- 

 mens alive. One on-ly survived its arrival to the 

 Zoological Gardens, but seemed to bear the change 

 of climate perfectly. 



The general colour of the upper plumage is a 

 brownish-grey. The feathers on the back and sides 

 of the neck have a deep black margin, and often a 

 white tip. The throat is deep rich black, but be- 

 tween and the angular markings of the sides there 



