174 



THE GAME BREEDER 



usually under the protection of an over- 

 hanging rock, log, bush or tuft of grass. 

 From six to fifteen eggs of a pale red- 

 dish buff color are laid. The earliest 

 date at which a complete set of eggs has 

 been found is April 7, and the latest 

 August 15. The usual statement that 

 an egg is laid each day is probably not 

 literally true, for, at least in one case, 

 additional eggs were found in the nest 

 every other day. 



During July and August young moun- 

 tain quail are very much in evidence. 

 They are cared for by one or both of 

 the parents and some people believe that 

 the male bird sometimes cares for a 

 brood while the female is incubating a 

 second set of eggs. The young, unlike 

 adults, often take flight and seek cover 

 in trees or brush. When well hidden 

 one may almost step on the little fellows 

 before they will fly. 



Mountain quail are noted for their al- 

 titudinal migrations. Even before the 

 snow begins to fall flocks of the birds 

 may be seen traveling to lower altitudes. 

 They travel almost wholly "on foot," 

 usually following along the ridges. By 

 October 1 most of them have abandoned 

 elevations above 5,000 feet, and when 

 the winter snows arrive they have found 

 a habitat far more congenial. In the 

 early spring and summer they begin their 

 upward journey. At this time of year 

 they are seldom seen in large flocks, but 

 ascend singly or in pair and follow up 

 the ridges as the snow melts from the 

 ground. 



The food of the mountain quail con- 

 sists very largely of vegetable matter — 

 seeds, fruit and leaves. A very few 

 grasshoppers, beetles and ants are taken. 

 The mountain quail . is a vigorous 

 scratcher and will jump a foot or more 

 from the ground to nip off leaves. In 

 the fall the service berry is a staple arti- 

 cle of diet. 



The large size and exquisite coloring 

 of the mountain quail make it an at- 



tractive bird to the hunter. Its flesh also 

 is excellent, being declared juicier than 

 that of the valley quail. The scarcity of 

 birds and the difficulty attendant upon 

 reaching their habitat alone deter many 

 from hunting this quail. As a rule 

 mountain quail when hunted in the brush 

 run some distance before flying and then 

 rise singly, so that only one can usually 

 be killed at a shot. Hence a limit bag 

 is hard to obtain. However, when these 

 quail are numerous in the foothills dur- 

 ing the winter they sometimes become 

 so befuddled that they can be driven into 

 a shed or cage and captured by hand. 



In former years mountain quail were 

 very numerous and were commonly sold 

 on the markets in San Francisco. They 

 were trapped in the high Sierras and 

 sent to the markets alive. 



Owing to the migratory movements of 

 the mountain quail it is only just that 

 the season open earlier in the foothills 

 of the Sierras than in the coast region. 

 Otherwise the birds are not available to 

 the hunter on the western slope of the 

 Sierra Nevada. In the coast region the 

 migratory movements of this quail are 

 not so noticeable and there is not the 

 same necessity for an early season. 



The rapid diminution in the number 

 of mountain quail has already given 

 hunters and others considerable concern. 

 A few years ago a close season of five 

 years was given this bird. When the 

 season was again opened an increase of 

 birds was to be noted. Apparently the 

 main thing needed with such a prolific 

 species as the quail is proper protection. 

 There should always be a home for the 

 mountain quail, for it inhabits the uncul- 

 tivated districts and is therefore not sub- 

 ject to any great degree to the destruc- 

 tive forces of encroaching civilization. 

 A short season and small bag limit with 

 an entire close season for a term of years 

 when the species is too greatly reduced 

 should be sufficient to ensure the per- 

 manency of this beautiful game species. 



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