16 QUAILOLOGY - ORNITHOLOGY 



eighteen miles southwest of Sasabe, Sonora, Mexico, hence very 

 near the boundray. Mr. Stephen on the same trip saw a precisely 

 similar bird a few miles north of the line, and within Arizona and 

 he writes me that he has recently examined two specimens which 

 were actually taken in Arizona, thus adding the species to our 

 fauna, (b) 



NESTS AND EGGS 



Similar to previous variety. The nesting season begins early 

 in May. Average eleven eggs in a complement. 



HABITS 



This species does not appear to be a mountain bird, living in 

 the mesas (table lands) in the valleys and possibly in the foot- 

 hills. They call "Bob White" and also a second call "Hoo-we," 

 articulated and as clear cut as the bob white. This second call is 

 used when the birds are scattered and more especially when sep- 

 arated near night-fall. They are very plump and over-match the 

 Arizona Quail in size. 



Their food consists of mustard seeds, chaparrel berries, beetles, 

 grass-hoppers, red ants, green leaves, etc. 



MOUNTAIN PARTRIDGE 



Oreortyx pictus. ( Dougl. ) 



Geog. Dist. — Pacific Coast from Santa Barbara north to Washington. 



Sp. Char. Back, wings and tail olive-brown, the inner secondaries and 

 tertiaries bordered with whitish or tawny, forming a lengthwise border in 

 single line when the wings are folded; the primaries and tail-feathers fus- 

 cous, minutely marbled with the color of the back. Fore-parts, above and 

 below, slaty-blue (above more or less glossed with the olive shade of the 

 back, below minutely marbled with black); the throat chestnut, immediate- 

 ly bordered laterally with black, then framed in a firm white line, broken 

 through the eye, reappearing around base of under mandible. Extreme 

 forehaad whitish. The arrow-plumes black. Belly chestnut, the sides band- 

 ed with broad bars of black and white, or rufous- white; middle of the low- 

 er belly, tibia, and flanks, whitish or rufous; crissum velvety-black, streak- 

 ed with chestnut. Bill dusky, paler below; feet brown. Length 11.00-12.00; 

 extent 16,00-17.00; wing 5.00-5.50; tail 3.00-3.50; tarsus 1.67; middle toe and 

 claw about the same, (f) 



NESTS AND BGG8 



The eggs of this species are placed in a nest of dead leaves, on 



t Coues Key to North American Birds. 



(b) The Auk, Vol. II, No. 3, April, 1885, p. 199. 



