68 AMERICAN GAME BIRD SHOOTING 
family, known as the black-breasted bobwhite (Colinus 
pectoralis, Gould). They were living in brush-grown 
and weedy old fields—sometimes straying about the 
coffee plantations—and were on friendly terms with 
most of their tropical neighbors. Fortunately, in these 
parts guns and dogs are few, and mostly harmless, so 
that Bob’s days were generally peaceful and contented. 
But even here life was not without its cares, for the 
spotted tiger-cats and woolly-haired opossums, with 
sad lack of consideration, were given to nocturnal raids 
that filled them with terror and sometimes lessened 
their numbers. 
“From Orizaba our wanderings led far away over 
plains and mountains to the city of Tehuantepec, on the 
hot lowlands bordering the Pacific coast. There we 
found our friends again, but known as the Coyolcos 
bobwhite (Colinus coyolcos, Mull.). They were com- 
mon, and although their garb had changed consider- 
ably, yet their voices and mode of life remained true 
to the family traditions. Indeed, so fixed are old hab- 
its among them that even long association with the 
suave and politic Mexican has failed to cure Bob of one 
custom that I often deplored during my youthful days, 
when, gun in hand, I sought to make his acquaintance. 
I refer to that abruptness of manner which is shown in 
such a disconcerting way when one comes upon him in 
his favorite haunts. 
“Near Tehuantepec their home is on the partly wood- 
ed and partly grassy plains. Old fields and grassy prai- 
ries, that extend irregularly amid the scrubby forests 
