QUAILS. 207 
a slight excavation, lined with grass. The hen lays in 
this every day a yellowish-white egg, marked with brown 
spots, until the usual number, which varies from ten 
to twenty, is deposited. She sits on these for three 
weeks, seldom leaving them, even to go in search of 
food, and while she is absent her place 1s taken by the 
male. Both parents look after the chicks when they ap- 
pear, and carefully guard them against foes. When they 
become suspicious of any object, they utter a clucking 
sound, which causes the little creatures to seek shelter 
immediately. The male resorts to various stratagems to 
lead the foe away from them, but the mother usually 
conceals herself until the danger is passed, and then calls 
them to her side with endearing clucks. Although the 
young can fly well when two months old, they, like most 
gallinaceous birds, prefer to use their feet until they are 
kard pressed, and then they take to the wing, though re- 
luctantly. They moult twice a year, but they never lose 
feathers enough to prevent them from flying quite rapid- 
ly. When they are in full plumage, and their crests are 
waving, they present a handsome appearance, especially 
when walking, as their carriage is firm, erect, and grace- 
ful. 
The blue colin (Callipepla Squwamata), which is also 
known as the scaly partridge, sand partridge, and sand 
quail, is more southern in its range than any of the 
Perdicide found in the United States, being a resident 
of Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico. It has a short, full 
crest; is grayish-blue above,-and paler below; the sides 
are striped with white, and the whole plumage is marked 
with semicircular black edgings of the feathers, which 
give it a scaled appearance. ‘The inner edges of the in- 
ner quills and the end of the crest are white, and the 
under tail coverts reddish-brown, with dark streaks. 
This quail, like all the western and south-western 
species, prefers to trust for safety to its powers of 
