THE OOLOGIST. 



91 



ning iu and out of the aviary, until one 

 day the family discovered that a do- 

 mestic fowl was devouring one of them. 

 On examination it was found that this 

 was not the first, but the last of the 

 fourteen, which had all gone the same 

 way. 



The Mountain Partridge is an ele- 

 gant bird, about 12 inches in length, 

 much larger and more beautiful than 

 the Bobwhite. They are found in Ore- 

 gon. Nevada and California. The 

 plumes oij the head of this Partridge 

 are usually about three or four inches 

 in length, but the plumes of one I had 

 in my aviary were 51- inches which is an 

 unusual length. 



The general color of adult, male and 

 female alike, is. slate and olive, marked 

 along sides, inner secondaries of wings, 

 and sides of the neck, with white. 



The Mountain Partridge become 

 quite tame if they are much in the com- 

 pany of anyone, and show quite a dif- 

 ference if it is a stranger, instead of 

 one of the family, that goes near them. 



I have had them so tame that I could 

 go in the aviary and they would come 

 to me and eat out of my hand and light 

 on different parts of my body. The 

 ones I have at present are not so tame 

 as I have not been about them so muen. 



T have learned that the Partridge 

 does not feed at any and all times 

 but mostly iu the early morning and 

 late in the day. 



A change of food is much appreciat- 

 ed by them, not only a change of grain, 

 but apples, lettuce, bread and even 

 watermelon is quite acceptable to their 

 bill of fai'e. 



At pairing time the males are quite 

 given to lighting, not only those in con- 

 finement, bat their mating call brings 

 outsiders. 



Sometimes there were three or four 

 males around the aviary, doing their 

 best to get in, and also trying to fight 

 those inside through the wires. At 

 such times they get so angry that they 



lose their fear to such an extent that 

 they pay but little attention to lookers 

 on, and I have sometimes seen them 

 strut after the manner of the Turkey 

 gobbler. They become mated and ready 

 to nest much sooner, if an even num- 

 ber of males and females are confined 

 in the enclosure. When ready to nest 

 a place is selected under the brush or 

 in ihe tallest of the grass, where they 

 scratch out a hollow and line it scanti- 

 ly with withered grass and leaves. 



The number of eggs varies from 6 

 to 16, and are mostly of a reddish cream 

 color, unmarked, but a few that were 

 laid by my pets were speckled, all but 

 one, with a deeper red color, and this 

 one quite profusely with fine white 

 dots. 



Although the Mountain Partridge is 

 so gentle in appearance and generally 

 so in disposition, they at times are 

 quite vicious. 



I noticed at various times last spring 

 when the little domestic chicks entered 

 the aviary they were sure to get a sound 

 pecking for their trouble, and if they 

 failed to get out in pretty quick time 

 they would be followed by the Part- 

 ridge and pecked on the head until 

 lifeless. Strange Partridges j)laced in 

 the aviary were treatedan a like man- 

 ner, especially if young ones. I have 

 had a young male Ring Pheasantin the 

 aviary with them for about three months. 

 Toward him they acted quite difi'erent. 

 For a while they paid no attention at 

 all to him, but now seem on the best 

 of terms. I find great pleasure in 

 studying the habits of the little creat- 

 ures; and the care of them is as noth- 

 ing, compared with the amusement and 

 entertainment they afford. I, at one 

 time, liberated quite a number that I 

 had had in confinement for some time. 

 Some of them left immediately and 

 never returned, while some staid 

 around the yard for a long time and 

 tried to get in the aviary again. One 

 was so tame that it would come to me 



