GALLINACEOUS BIRDS. 219 



The CALIFORNIAN PARTRIDGE (Zo/Zwr/y^c Calif ornianus) and GAMBEL'S PARTRIDGE 



{Lopkortyx Gambdii) represent an American group principally remarkable for the crest that adorns 



their head. These birds have a powerful body, short neck, and moderately large head. The short 



arched wing is rounded at its extremity, and has its fourth or fifth quills longer than the rest. The 



tail, composed of twelve feathers, is short and remarkably graduated ; the beak is short, strong, 



and much arched at its culmen ; the foot is of medium height, and the thick plumage compact and 



glossy. At the top of the head rises a crest, formed occasionally of from two to ten, but generally 



of from four to six feathers ; these are slender at the roots, becoming gradually broader towards 



the tips, which incline forward, and have somewhat the form of a sickle. This crest is much 



developed in the males. The coloration of the plumage, though by no means gorgeous, is both 



beautiful and brilliant. 



THE CALIFORNIAN PARTRIDGE. 



The CALIFORNIAN PARTRIDGE {Lop/wrtyx Californianus) has the feathers on the top of the 

 forehead of a straw-yellow, with dark shafts, these being surrounded by a dark line that passes over 

 the eyes. The crown of the head shows two shades of brown ; the long feathers that cover the nape 

 are blueish grey, with black shafts and edges, and two white spots at their tips. The back is olive- 

 brown, the throat black, encircled by a white band, the upper breast is blueish grey, its lower portion 

 yellow, each feather being lighter at the tip, and bordered with black ; the feathers on the belly are 

 brownish red, edged with a darker shade, those on the sides brown, with white shafts, and those on 

 the lower tail-covers light yellow, with dark shafts. The quills are brownish grey, the secondaries 

 bordered with a yellowish tint ; the tail is pure grey. The eye is dark brown, the beak black, and 

 foot deep lead-colour. The female is of a dull whity-brown on the forehead, and brownish grey on 

 the crown ; the throat is yellowish, with dark markings, the breast dull grey ; the rest of the plumage 

 resembles that of the male, but is duller and fainter. 



The Californian Partridge was first observed during the visit of the unfortunate ship La 

 Peroitse to California, since which time it has been found to inhabit in abundance all suitable 

 localities in that country ; the accounts of its life and habits are, however, as yet very scanty. 



"These beautiful birds," says Gambel, "so extraordinarily plentiful throughout California, 

 assemble in the winter in numerous swarms of more than a thousand individuals, if the woods are 

 able to provide for that number, and are equally plentiful on bushy plains and the declivities of hills. 

 They exhibit great watchfulness and activity, and when pursued run nimbly away into concealment ; 

 if suddenly started they take refuge in trees, crouching close to the horizontal branches like squirrels 

 — in which position the great resemblance of their colouring to that of the bark of the tree, makes it 

 very difficult to detect them." The nest is usually placed on the ground at the foot of a tree or 

 beneath a bush. The eggs are generally numerous and placed in a shallow hollow, scooped at the 

 foot of an oak, and spread over with a few leaves and a little dried grass. Gambel found twenty-four 

 eggs in one nest, but thought that possibly they were the produce of two hens— fifteen being the usual 

 number of the brood. 



Freyborg, who also observed this bird in its native country, says that it is stationary, or at least 

 wanders only to a short distance, and feeds on grass, seeds, bulbous roots, garlic, plants of various 

 kinds, berries, and insects, preferring thick bushes to any other localities. It seldom moves more 

 than forty or fifty paces, and scarcely ever strays from the shade of the woods to open spots ; it holds 

 out for some time before the hounds, and flies to the nearest tree. In the winter it digs long burrows 

 under the snow. In California these birds are shot from the trees with a small rifle, and they are 

 also chased by the help of dogs— their flesh being in great request, and considered to resemble that 

 of the Hazel Grouse {Bonasia sytvcsiris). 



