22 QUAILOLOGY - ORNITHOLOGY 



Quail, has also been introduced at Grand Junction, Colorado, and 

 is becoming quite numerous. It is abundant in Oregon, but be- 

 coming scarcer in California where fifteen years ago it was very- 

 common, this due to the excessive pursuit by gunners. A cons- 

 tant resident and breeds wherever it is found. 



In localities where it is not constantly harrassed and hunted 

 the California Partridge becomes surprisingly tame and confiding, 

 becoming almost domesticated, and under such circumstances 

 many nest close to houses, outbuildings, and in the shrubbery of 

 the gardens adjacent to human habitations. It is much shyer 

 and difficult to approach in the fall and winter. 



Its favorite haunts are the underbrush and thickets along the 

 water courses, brush covered hill sides and canyons, frequenting 

 the roads, cultivated fields, vineyards and edges of clearings to 

 feed. 



The mating season commences early in March. Then the large 

 pack, to which this species gather in the fall of the year, break 

 up gradually, each pair selecting a suitable nesting site. 



The food of the young consists of insects, small seeds and 

 chickweed. 



VALLEY PARTRIDGE 



Callipepla californica vallicola ( Ridgw. ) 



Geog. Dist.— Interior Regions of California and Oregon, south to Cape St. 

 Lucas. Western Nevada. 



Sp. Char. A paler and grayer colored bird than the C. californica; a 

 sub-species. 



NESTS AND EGGS 



The mating season varies greatly, according to the occurence 

 of early rains. When rain is plentiful the coveys break up in 

 March. 



Nests and eggs similar to the preceding species in every re- 

 spect. One brood, and not uncommonly two, are raised in a 

 season numbering from twelve to twenty-four each. 



HABITS 



This sub-species inhabits the dryer interior valleys and foot hills 

 throughout its range. In the Coso Mountains and on the west 

 slope of Walkers Pass in the Sierra Nevada range in California it 

 is found to range from the lowest part of the valley up through 



