480 NOUTII AMERICAN lUUDS. 



YouiKj. lifiul iis in tlif iuiuli tbnialo. L'i)i)er parts ]mU" brown, finely mottled traiiis- 

 versely with blaek ; sua])ular.s ami t'eatheM of tiie back with yellowish-white shaft-streaks, 

 wideniiii.'' at the end of the featlicr, and with a larp;e bla<'k spot on eaeh web. 



Chirk, (li-onnd-eolor dingy white, tinged on tlie head, wings, and upper parts with 

 pale rusty. A broad strijje on oeeiput and \\i\\w innl)er-brown ; upper parts with rather 

 confused and rather elongated niottlings; an indistinct ain'icular spot. Ueneath plain dull 

 white. 



IIaii. Valley portions and foot-hilL of the I'acilic Provinee of the United States, south 

 to Cape .Ht. Lucas. 



ILvHiT.s. Tliis heaiitil'iil species, according to Dr. Newberry, is called the 

 Valley (^iiail in California, to distinguish it from the I'liiined Quail, wiiich 

 inhabits the hills and the liighlands, and is called the Mountain Quail. 

 Tlie conunon Valley Quail of ("alifornia inliabits the prairies and tlie grain- 

 fields of tlie cultivated districts, tind fre([uents the thici<ets which border 

 the streams, usually in coveys of from a dozen to a hundred individuals, 

 except during the breeding-season, when it is Ibund only in pairs. Like the 

 eastern Quail, tin; male bird is very fond of sitting on some stump or log 

 l)roJectiiig above the grass and weeds wliich conceal his mate and nest or 

 brood, and, especially in the early morning, uttering his peculiar cry, — 

 whistle it can hardly be called. This note is spoken of as being rather 

 harsli and disagreeable than otherwise, and somewhat resembling that of 

 some of the Wcjod^ieckers. Dr. Newberry adds that it may be represented 

 by the syllables liMc-kdck-kAck-M, the first three notes being raj)idly re- 

 peated, the last prolonged with a falling intiection. As a game bird he 

 regards this Quail as inferior to the eastern one, tliough of etpial excellence 

 for the table. It does not lie so well to the dog, does not afford as good 

 sport, and takes to a tree much more readily than the eastern Quail. It 

 is found in all the valleys of California and Oregon, both those in tlie interior 

 and those tliat open on the coast. It is not found in the deep forests, nor 

 on the mountains at any considerable elevation, nor in the interior basin 

 where water and vegetation are scarce. Specimens were taken by his party 

 in different parts of the Sacramento Valley, at Fort Jones, and in the Wil- 

 lamette Valley, near the Columbia. In all these there was no appreciable 

 difference. This bird is said to make no elaborate nest, but to lay a large 

 number of eggs on the ground, wliich are generally hatched in June. This 

 bird is susceptible of domestication, and forms quite an ornament for parks, 

 in which tliey thrive witli proper care. 



Dr. Suckley states that this Quail was successfully introduced into 

 Washington Territory, on the prairies near Puget Sound, in tlie spring of 

 18.J7, by Governor Charles H. Mason and Mr. Goldsborough. Two lots 

 were introduced, and by the following winter had increased largely. Mr. 

 Gil lbs mentions having met with great numbers of these birds on Russian 

 lUver in 1851, and again on the Klamath in 1802 Tliey were very tame, 

 but took to the buslies when disturbed, perching on the limbs. Like the 

 Sharp-tailed Grouse, they gathered in large flocks. This was the case even 



