THE VALLEY PARTRIDGE. 29 



"As soon as the young' are hatched, they immediately leave the nest, 

 keeping under cover as much as possible. Should the brood be disturbed, the 

 old birds will run and flutter along the ground to draw the attention of the dog, 

 or whatever may have frightened them, to themselves and away from the 

 young. In about ten days these can fly a short distance. The Valley Par- 

 tridge feeds on insects and the young and tender leaves of clover and green 

 pease, later, on grain and various- small seeds ; in the fall they eat wild grapes 

 and are also very partial to the seeds of the amaranth, also those of Mentzelia 

 Icevicaulis. Here only one brood is raised in a season, and incubation, as nearly 

 as I can ascertain, lasts about twenty-eight days." 



The nests and eggs of the Valley Partridge are similar in every respect to 

 those of the California Partridge, and the number of eggs usually laid is about 

 the same. In southern California they often nest under small juniper bushes 

 and in prickly-pear or cactus patches. Usually but one brood is raised, but 

 under favorable circumstances two are not uncommon. Mr. Anthony's state- 

 ment that the Valley Partridge does not nest in exceptionally dry seasons in 

 portions of its range has been fully verified by me through other observers, 

 and appears to be a well-established fact. 



None of the eggs of this Partridge are figured, as they are indistinguish- 

 able from those of the preceding. A number of the eggs from Cape St. Lucas 

 of this subspecies average a trifle smaller than California and Oregon speci- 

 mens, reducing the average measurement somewhat. 



Seventy-six specimens in the U. S. National Museum collection average 31 

 by 24 millimetres. The largest egg of the series measuring 34 by 25, the 

 smallest 28 by 23 millimetres. 



13. Callipepla gambeli (Nuttall). 



gambel's partridge. 



Lophortyx gambeli " Nuttall " Gambel, Proceedings Academy Natural Sciences, 



Phila., 1843, 260. 

 Callipepla gambeli Gould, Monograph Odontophorinae, 1850, PI. xvn. 



(B 475, C 392, R 483, C 576, U 295.) 



Geographical range. Northwestern Mexico and contiguous portions of United 

 States from western Texas to southern California, north to southern Nevada and south- 

 ern Utah. 



The home of this graceful and interesting species includes that portion of 

 southern California commonly known as the " Great American Desert." Here 

 Grambel's Partridge reaches the most western point of its range, near San 

 Glorgonio Pass, in San Bernardino County, California, where it overlaps that of 

 the Valley Partridge and hybrids are found ; * thence it ranges eastward through 

 Arizona and the greater part of New Mexico into western Texas. To the north 



'Auk, Vol. 11, 1885, p. 247. 



