HEERMANN'S NOTES ON THE BIRDS OF CALIFORNIA. 271 



valleys and large plains. Being a very cautious and wild bird, on the least appear- 

 ance of danger it runs into the chapparel and disappears. It is swift on foot, and I 

 have heard of its being pursued on horseback without success. It is also related, by 

 the natives of the country, that this bird collects the cactus, and forms a circle round 

 the rattle snake, as he lays basking in the sun, out of which circle not beino- able to 

 escape, he bites himself, and dies from the effect of his own venom. I am of the 

 opinion that this bird is the long-tail pheasant, of which I have heard the late Dr. J. 

 K. Townsend speak, and by which name it is known to the majority of Ihe inhabi- 

 tants of the country. The specimen which I obtained was shot on the Consumnes 

 river, and its stomach was filled with grasshoppers. 



CoLUMBA. FASCiATA, Say. Abundant: and found during the winter season in the 

 pine forests of the mountains, in flocks of hundreds. They are frequently exposed 

 for sale in the San Francisco market. 



CoLUMBA LEUCOPTERA, Linu., C. Trudeauii, Aud. I found this bird quite abun- 

 dant in the country, near Guy mas, on the Gulf of California. I mention this bird 

 only to show the range over which some of our birds extend. Mr. Audubon received 

 it from Texas, and Col. McCall, who has had ample opportunity for observation in 

 that country, never recollects to have seen it in Texas, but it was very abundant at 

 Matamoras, where it was common around the camp. 



EcTOPi.sTES CAROLiNENSis, Liuu. Abundant. 



Ortyx californica, Lath. This very abundant and beautiful species is found 

 over the whole surface of California. Its habits are the same as our O. viro-inianus, 

 except that it does not squat to the hunting dog, but runs as long as pursued, until 

 forced to flight, instead of lying close, as does our bird, or the Scolopax Wilsonii. A 

 friend of mine killed twenty-two dozen of these birds in three day's hunt. The nest 

 is made in the open plain, or at the foot of a bush, and is composed of loose grasses 

 arranged without much order. The eggs, twelve to sixteen in number, are yellowish 

 or greyish white, and spotted or dashed with dark-brown and burnt umber. 



Ortyx picta, Douglass. Not rare in the mountainous portions of the country, but 

 very wild, and difficult to obtain, as they fly at the least alarm of danger. They 

 appear very sociable, calling to each other as soon as the flock gets separated by any 

 accident. Their call-note resembles very much the notes of the hen turkey when 

 calling her young brood to her. 



Several of the eggs of species mentioned in these notes, I believe, have been pre- 

 viously undescribed, and therefore will prove interesting to many, as this particular 

 branch (Oology) has, within late years, deservedly attracted the attention of Ornitho- 

 logists. Asa general rule, I have found a family resemblance between the eggs of 

 the birds of the same genus, showing itself either in the form or coloring, or in both. 

 Thus, all the owls have white and nearly spherical eggs ; all the herons have 

 blue eggs, with one single exception to my knowledge, that of the Ardea stellaris ; 



