THE GAME BREEDER 



73 



THE BLUE QUAIL. 



(The following account of the Blue Quail, the Scaled Quail of the Ornithologists was 

 published by the Department of the Interior, U. S. Geological Survey of the Territories. 

 Miscellaneous publication No. 3. The late Captain and assistant surgeon, Dr. Coues, made a 

 valuable contribution to our Ornithology when he wrote this public document known as The 

 Birds of the Northwest, but containing, as in the case of the Blue Quail, something about 

 related species residing in the Rio Grande country. — Editor.) 



Blue Quail. Gallipepla Squamata. 



As we have referred the three Ari- 

 zonian quails to as many genera, we may 

 briefly notice some of the points of their 

 structure. That of the Blue Quail is 

 most like Gambel's in bill, wings, tail, and 

 feet, but entirely different in the crest, 

 which, instead of being helmet-like, of 

 club-shaped, recurved feathers, is short, 

 soft, and full, and, though capable of 

 erection in a conspicuous manner, can 

 be laid quite flat, out of sight. The Blue 

 is also called the Scaled Quail, from the 

 peculiar appearance of the plumage of 

 the under parts, which is seemingly ab- 

 normal in texture or disposition ; but this 

 is merely an optical effect of the singu- 

 lar coloration of the feathers, simulating 

 imbricated scales or tiles. A correspond- 

 ing result is said to appear from the 

 same cause in the plumage of the under 

 parts of young Gannets. The Massena 

 Quail has the crest in general similar to 

 that of the Blue, but differs from this 

 species, as well as from Gambel's, in the 

 structure of the wings and tail. These 

 are both short ; the wing-coverts and 

 tertials are remarkably enlarged, hiding 

 the primaries when the wing is closed, 

 and the tail-coverts are so long as to 

 conceal the true tail feathers, which are 

 soft and weak. The Massena is of strik- 

 ing and elegant colors, having sharply 

 contrasted round spots upon a rich 

 ground, and other peculiarities ; both it 

 and Gambel's are singularly, almost fan- 

 tastically, striped about the head ; the 

 Blue is of plainer, though scarcely less 

 pleasing tints. Thus each species shows 

 some marked features with one of the 

 other two, but none of consequence with 

 both ; and each has peculiarities of its 

 own not shared by either of the others. 



The Blue Quail has another peculiarity 

 of a different sort ; the two sexes differ 

 but little in appearance. As a general 

 rule the sexual differences among galli- 

 naceous birds are very striking — more 

 so, perhaps, than in any other group. 

 Cjntrary to the rule in our own species, 

 the male is gaudily attired, while the 

 female is of plain and homely appear- 

 ance, as well illustrated by the domestic 

 cock and hen, and especially by the pea- 

 fowls. Among Arizonian Gallinae the 

 Massena differs most in sexual distinc- 

 tions of color, for the female is quite 

 subdued in her dress, while the male is 

 showy in coloration. 'The Blue presents 

 the other extreme, as if, with tender gal- 

 la. ltry, he were unwilling to outshine. 



This species is a bird of noticeably 

 terrestrial habits, rarely taking to trees 

 or bushes unless hard pressed in one of 

 those extremities into which some people 

 are fond of forcing any birds large 

 enough to be worth a charge of shot and 

 wary enough to make it exciting sport to 

 penetrate their poor bodies with it. It 

 generally trusts to its legs rather than its 

 wings, though these are not at all de- 

 ficient in size or strength. On level 

 ground it glides along with marvellous 

 celerity, and makes good progress over 

 the most rocky and difficult places. As 

 a consequence, it is rather difficult to 

 shoot fairly, though it may be "potted" 

 in great style by one so disposed ; and 

 it will probably require several genera- 

 tions in training before it can be taught 

 to lie well to a dog. 



Like our other southwestern species, 

 the Blue Quail has a rather restricted 

 range in the United States. The valley 

 of the Rio Grande at large may be given 

 as its especial habitat; it is said to be 

 more abundant there than I have found 



