QUAILOLOGY - ORNITHOLOGY 23 



the canyons to the tops of the highest peaks, where it quite close- 

 ly associates with the Mountain Quail during the breeding season. 



Introduced at Ogden, Utah where it is now found. Resident 

 and breeds throughout its range. Becoming scarcer in California. 



A. C. Lowell, in Bendire's Life History of North American 

 Birds, states that these birds are unable to stand the severe cold, 

 especially when accompanied by a heavy fall of snow. 



It is never found in cultivated fields but remains on the brush 

 covered hill sides. Roosts in the thick brush, but on the ground 

 when brush is at hand. 



GAMBBL'S PARTRIDGE 



Callipepla gambelii. ( Nutt. ) 



Geog. Dist. — Northern Mexico, Arizona, New Mexico, Southern Utah, 

 Western Texas and Southern Nevada. 



Sp. Char. Male. Without white loral line; forehead black with whitish 

 lines; occiput chestnut; nuchal and cervical feathers with dark shaft lines, 

 but few dark edgings or none, and no white speckling. General color of 

 upper parts clear ashy, the edging of the inner quills white. Fore-breast 

 like the back; other under parts whitish, the middle of the belly with a 

 large jet-black patch; sides rich purplish-chestnut, with sharp white stripes; 

 vent, flanks and crissum white with dusky streaks, Bill black; iris brown. 



Besides lacking the definite head markings the Female wants the black 

 abdominal area, where the feathers are whitish with dark lengthwise 

 touches; crest dark brown, not recurved, and fewer-feathered than that of 

 the cock. Top of head grayish-brown, nearly uniform from bill to nape; 

 throat grayish-white with slight dark pencilling. Chicks, in the down; 

 Bill above reddish, nearly white below; feet duU flesh-color. Head dingy 

 yellowish, with a large brown spot on the occiput, a few black, white- 

 streaked feathers on crown, and the crest sprouting in a week or two. Up- 

 per parts grayish-brown mottled with black spots, and conspicuously striped 

 with white lines. Outer webs of the sprouting quills marked with blackish 

 and whitish. Throat white; other under parts narrowly barred with black 

 and tawny-white, striped lengthwise with pure white. Sprouting tail-feath- 

 ers like the primaries. Pullets, quarter-grown, 6-7 inches long; Leaden- 

 gray, becoming tawny on the wings, which are still a little mottled as 

 above described; below, light gray, nearly white on throat and belly. 

 Breast waved with light and dark gray, with traces of the white stripes. 

 Sides under the wings sUghtly fulvous or rufescent, but without definite 

 stripes. Quills plain dusky; tail-feathers more plumbeous, marked with 

 blackish and whitish. A broad white superciliary line. With the progress 

 of' the fall moult this dress changes for one like that of the adults, and 

 the sexes are soon distinguishable, (t) 

 •j- Cones Key to North American Birds. 



