The Mountain Quails 



black; chestnut tinge appearing on flanks and thighs; the slaty of breast less blue, the 

 feathers tipped with white. Chick: Upper plumage entirely mottled, buffies, browns, 

 and duskies; breast much as in immature, but throat plain buffy; belly and flanks 

 buffy- and dusky-barred. Average of 10 adults: length (skins) 251 (9.88); wing 129.7 

 (5.1 1); bill 13.7 (.54); tarsus 35.9 (1.41). 



Recognition Marks. — Robin size, but nearly small grouse in apearance; 

 throat chestnut; long straight crest distinctive; "larger" wing-sound in rising, as com- 

 pared with Valley Quail. 



Nesting. — Nest: A slight depression in earth, lined scantily with dead leaves, 

 pine needles, or other forest litter, sometimes placed under shelter of bush, log, or 

 fallen branch. Eggs: 5 to 15; short ovate and pointed; light buff or pale ochraceous 

 buff, unmarked; often stained brownish through contact with wet leaves. Av. size 

 33.7 x 25.3 (1.33 x 1. 00); index 75.2. Season: June (April 7-August) ; one brood. 



Range of Oreortyx picta. — The Pacific Coast states and Lower California. 



Range of 0. p. picta. — The humid coastal district of western Washington, western 

 Oregon, and northwestern California. 



Distribution in California. — Resident in the humid coastal belt, broadly, 

 into Trinity County, in the North; south to Sonoma County. Reappears sparingly 

 in the mountainous district of Santa Cruz County, and in western Monterey County 

 south at least to Big Creek. 



Authorities. — Douglas (Ortyx picta), Trans. Linn. Soc. London, vol. xvi., pt. 

 1, 1829, p. 143 (orig. desc. ; interior of Calif.); Ridgway, Auk, vol. xi., 1894, p. 193, pi. 

 vi. (distr. ; crit.) ; Grinnell, Bryant and Storer, Game Birds Calif., 1918, p. 513 (desc. 

 occurrence, habits, etc.). 



No. 312a San Pedro Quail 



A. O. U. No. 292a. Oreortyx picta confinis Anthony. 



Synonyms. — Plumed Partridge. Plumed Quail. Mountain Partridge. 

 Southern Mountain Quail. 



Description. — Similar to 0. picta picta, but slaty blue of foreparts nearly or 

 quite displacing olive-brown on nape and upper back; general tone of upperparts a 

 little lighter and duller; forehead whitening; the border area of inner secondaries and 

 tertials clear white and only slightly tinged with buffy. 



Status. — This form was created in recognition of a slight tendency. Any one 

 of the characters assigned above may be contradicted by individual examples from 

 any locality, but the consensus of characters appears to hold. Other characteristics 

 quite as in preceding. 



Range of 0. p. confinis. — Mountainous districts of the Pacific Coast states from 

 northwestern Oregon (west of the Cascade Mountains) south through the Sierras and 

 the southern coast and southern interior ranges of California, to northern Lower Cali- 

 fornia, and east to extreme western Nevada, — resident throughout its range. 



Distribution in California. — Found at middle levels upon all mountains, save 

 those of the humid coastal district (where replaced by 0. p. picta) and the most barren 

 desert ranges. Occurs to the levels of some of the higher plateaus and retreats before 

 the snows of winter. 



Authorities. — Gould {Ortyx plumifera), Icones Avium, pt. I, Aug., 1837, pi. 9 

 (orig. desc; "California"); Dwight, Auk, vol. xvii., 1900, p. 46 (plumages and molts); 

 Judd, U. S. Dept. Agric, Biol. Surv. Bull., no. 21, 1905, p. 58 (food) ; Grinnell and 

 Swarth, Univ. Calif. Publ. Zool., vol. x., 1913, p. 228 (San Jacinto Mts. ; habits; crit., 

 as regards 0. p. confinis). 



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