222 ; PRAIRIE AND FOREST. 
thick, and be most injurious to the well-broken, highly-bred’ 
dog. However, when flushed, their flight is swift, although 
not protracted, and no small amount of skill and practice 
is necessary for the shooter to become a certain shot at 
this description of game. Like the Virginian bird, they 
frequently breed twice in the year, and at each sitting, if 
no accident occur, or wet weather supervene, which in their 
habitat is unusual, hatch from eight to ten young; thus it 
is easily understood how they are so abundant. 
Although not migratory, they are very erratic in their 
habits; the same cause as in the Virginian ortyx being 
doubtless the reason. 
From a custom they possess of sunning and dusting 
themselves in very exposed and bare situations, immense 
numbers fall victims to the birds of prey; in fact, in Cali- 
fornia, I believe they form the principal food for the numer- 
ous species of Falconide that infest its mountain ranges; 
report also states that the snakes have a penchant for them, 
and prefer them to all other articles of food. This is scarce- 
ly to be wondered at when we consider how defenseless 
they are when seized, their excessive tameness, and last, 
not least, their delicacy of flesh, if the taste of birds of 
prey and snakes is to be judged of by that of the human 
family. 
In Sonora and the south-western boundary of the Apache 
range of country they are captured, with nets and snares, 
in immense numbers by the Indians, it being no unusual 
thing for hundreds to be taken in a single day. 
While residing in China, at Hong Kong, the idea struck 
several friends and myself, from the constant communica- 
tion there was between the Celestial Land and San Francis- 
co by ship, that we might import these little beauties and 
acclimate them there. After some delay we received about 
twenty couple, eight of which we turned ont in Ty-tan Val- 
