28 NORTH AMERICAN FAUNA. [No. 7. 



Callipepla californica vallicola. Valley Quail. 



The valley quail was found abundantly in many places, and its east- 

 ern range in southern California was carefully and definitely mapped. 

 As might be expected, it was found at every point west of the Sierra Nc 

 vada visited by members of the expedition. To the east of this range, 

 and the ranges forming its southern continuation, the species was com- 

 mon out to the edge of the Mohave Desert and Salt Wells Valley, and all 

 through Owens Valley as far north at least as Benton, where both Mr. 

 Nelson and Mr. Stephens found it. It was common along the western 

 base of the White Mountains and in the Inyo, Coso, Argus, and Pana- 

 mint mountains. In the latter range its eastern distribution ends — 

 Death Valley, with the barren, treeless mountains beyond forming a 

 complete barrier to its further extension. The valley quail was not 

 found in the Grapevine Mountains, in Panamint or Saline valleys, or in 

 the Mohave Desert proper, though arouud the edges of this desert it was 

 seeu on the south at the summit of Cajon Pass, on the north at Lone 

 Willow and Leach Point springs, and on the west at Willow Spring 

 and Antelope Valley. The easternmost limits of its range are the San 

 Bernardino Mountains on the south side of the Mohave Desert, and 

 Leach Point Spring on the north side. The latter locality is only a 

 short distance west of the extreme south end of Death Valley. Here 

 Dr. Merriam shot specimens Aj)ril 25. 



In the Panamiut range it was common in Johnson and Surprise 

 Canons, and Mr. Nelson found it in Cottonwood, Mill Creek, and Wil- 

 low Creek caiions. 



In the Argus Eange this quail was common in Shepherd Canon, at 

 Maturango Spring and at other places visited. In the Coso Mountains 

 it was found to range from the lowest part of the valley up through the 

 caiions to the tops of the high peaks, where it was quite closely 

 associated with the mountain quail (Oreortyx) during the breeding sea- 

 son. In the Inyo Mountains, Mr. Nelson found it on the east slope at 

 Hunter's arastra and Waucoba Creek, and along the west slope up to 

 the piiions. At Lone Pine, in Owens Valley, young, just able to fly, 

 were seen June 4-15, and at Walker Pass, flocks containing a hundred 

 or more on July 1-2. These flocks were composed of several families, 

 as they contained from ten to fifteen adults and young that varied in 

 size from those just hatched up to half-grown birds. At the west 

 slope of Walker Pass, the valley quail was again found ranging above 

 the lower limit of the mountain quail. At Three Rivers, in the west- 

 ern foothills of the Sierra Nevada, these quails, both adult andyoung^ 

 were found in the oaks feeding on the young acorns July 25-30. 



Throughout the San Joaquin Valley, Mr. Nelson found it common 

 about ranches, along water courses or near springs. It was excessively 

 abundant at some of the springs in the hills about the Temploa Moun- 

 tains and Carrizo Plain. In the week following the expiration of the 

 close season, two men, pot-hunting for the market, were reported to 



