No. 3.] 



SENNETT ON THE ORNITHOLOGY OF TEXAS. 



429 



PEllDICID^. 



117. Ortyx virginiana texana (Lawr.) Coues. — Texas Quail. 



Common at Lomita, comiug into the enclosures of the ranch at all 

 times, feeding about the corn-crib, -s^ith Blackbirds and Pigeons, or 

 whistling its familiar ^' bob- white." Parts of several sets of eggs were 

 found in the borders of the corn-fields. A set of thirteen was run into 

 by the breaking-plow. Average size about same as last year, 1.20 

 bv .93. 



Lomita 

 ....do . 

 ....do . 

 ....do . 

 ....do . 



118. Callipepla SQrA]MATA (Vig.) Grv.— Scaled Partridge or Bine Quail. 



The foot-hills of the Eio Grande, about one hundred miles back from 

 the coast, are the eastern limits of this bu'd, as well as of the Cactus Wren 

 and the Yellow-headed Titmouse. The covey observed by Dr. Merrill 

 near Fort Brown were probably stragglers. Dr. Finley, a careful ob- 

 server of game birds, never saw them about the camp, two miles 

 above Hidalgo and five below Lomita, where he was stationed for two 

 years. The first rise of ground in going up the river occurs at Lomita 

 Eanch, and here we often saw these beautifid birds running about; but 

 although we frequently collected a mile or two below the hill, there we 

 never saw them, and not even in the fertile and heavily wooded low- 

 lands in the vicinity of this hill did we observe them. A few miles up 

 from Lomita and back from the river, near tlie water-holes, rises are 

 numerous, covered with thin poor soil, where cactuses and scrubby 

 thorny bushes grow, and here the Blue Quail abounds. 



They are poor birds for sport, as they do not lie to dog, and are with 

 great difficulty flushed into flight. We saw them take wing but a few 

 times, and then only when completely surprised. On the approach of 

 danger, they run very fast from one cover of thorny bushes to another, 

 in irregular courses, according to the convenience of cover. Their 

 tawny-white crests are erect as they run, and they make a very fine 

 show. They are excellent eating. The sexes are nearly alike; the 

 males, however, have much more dark-russet on the belly than the 

 females. On the IGth of May, an adult with brood of newly liatched 

 young were observed, but they were too quick of movement to be ob- 

 tained, and disappeared in the brush. On the 22d of May, near the 

 buildings of the ranch at San Jos6 Lake, Mr. Sanford shot a fine male, 

 which was on the brush fence forming the enclosure. In searching among 

 the weeds where the bird fell, we found a nest and sixteen fresh eggs. 

 The nest was under the edge of the fence, and was simply a saucer-like 

 depression in the ground, with leaves for lining. The eggs are pecuhar, 



