378 Quail and Grouse of the Pacific Coast 



keep it down. Up to the rapid settlement of the 

 country and the advent of the cheap breech-loader, 

 its numbers were beyond all comprehension, espe- 

 cially in southern California. But under the rigid 

 protection it now has by a limit of twenty-five a 

 day to the gun and the stoppage of market-shoot- 

 ing, it will soon be plenty again. 



Its length is about eleven inches for the largest 

 specimens, with wing of four and a quarter, or 

 nearly the same length as Bob-white, with wing 

 about half an inch shorter. But as the tail is 

 about an inch longer than that of Bob-white, it 

 is really a smaller bird and not so plump. Its 

 color is ashy blue or slate, with chestnut gloss 

 running into warm golden tints underneath, 

 mottled with tawny white, black and cinnamon 

 on the belly, with black throat on the male, a 

 white line over the eye, and white collar around 

 the black throat. Both sexes have a plume of 

 black, imbricated feathers about an inch and a 

 quarter long, curving forward over the bill. In 

 shape it is very graceful, and in action far quicker 

 than Bob-white, except on the wing, where the 

 difference in speed amounts to little ; although the 

 common opinion is to the contrary, because under 

 the different conditions it is a harder bird to shoot. 



Up to a certain point the valley-quail has not 

 the slightest fear of man, but rather enjoys show- 

 ing that he is not afraid. No other game-bird 



