172 



THE GAME BREEDER 



man. This trait of gentleness is the very 

 opposite of those manifested by the Scaly 

 partridge ( Callipepla squamata), which 

 I always observed to be, though found 

 perchance in grounds as little frequented 

 as these, remarkably vigilant, shy and 

 difficult to approach. The call or signal 

 note of this species is peculiar. I never 

 saw it after crossing the Pecos." 



This account of the gentle and con- 

 fiding disposition of the Massena quail, 

 so at variance with the character of 

 nearly all the other species, agrees en- 

 tirely with the representations which 

 were made to me at Fort Whipple ; and 

 the same trait has also been noticed by 

 other writers. Don Pablo de la Llave 

 noticed it in his original account of the 

 birds in the following terms, which I 

 copy from Mr. Cassin's translation of his 

 article: "And in everything it shows an 

 amiability, and, so to speak, a kindness 

 of character (una bonadad de caracter) 

 which is not found in any other species 

 of this genus, and it is naturally so tame 

 and domestic as to permit itself to be 

 caught with the hand." So, also. Dr. 

 Woodhouse, in the following paragraph 

 from Sitgreave's report : 



"My attention was first called to this 

 beautiful bird a few miles beyond the 

 head of the Rio San Pedro, where we 

 started three of them, and Major Backus 

 succeeded in procuring a female speci- 

 men, which is now in my collection. This 

 was the only time I observed this bird. 

 Captain S. G. French, Assistant Quarter- 

 master United States Army, informs me 

 that in the year 1849, when he first 

 passed over this road, he met with these 

 birds in a number of localities — at the 

 head of the San Pedro, Howard's 

 Springs, and also at the Eagle Springs- 

 showing evidently that it has a range 

 over the country lying between the Rio 

 Grande and San Pedro Rivers. He also 

 stated that he had never met with it near 

 the settlements, but always among the 

 wild, rocky and almost barren hills of 

 this country. They are more sociable 

 and not so shy as others of the same 

 family. Their food appears to be prin- 

 cipally insects." 



To give, as nearly as possible, a com- 



plete view of what has been put on rec- 

 ord concerning the habits of the beau- 

 tiful Massena, I continue with the fol- 

 lowing quotations from the notes made 

 by the naturalists of the Mexican Bound- 

 ary Survey. It will be noticed that Mr. 

 Clark's account is considerably at vari- 

 ance with those just presented: 



"Once, on flushing a covey of Ortyx 

 texana, my attention was attracted by a 

 bird which remained behind, showing no 

 inclination to follow the rest. It at- 

 tempted to hide in the grass, but not to 

 fly, and on being shot proved to be a 

 male Massena. It occurs in pairs or 

 flocks, and when flushed it flies further 

 than the Virginia quail, and does not lie 

 so close. They may be approached 

 within a few feet, and followed up, par- 

 ticularly when in pairs, running along 

 before you like so many domestic fowls. 

 It is quiet as well as retired ; a subdued 

 though sharp note is the only noise I 

 ever heard it make, and that only when 

 frightened. I have seen it pursued, and 

 all the barrels of a six-shooter fired at it 

 without giving it alarm, and finally 

 forced to fly only by an attack of stones 

 and clubs. It was first met in the neigh- 

 borhood of San Antonio, and thence 

 sparsely distributed, as an inhabitant of' 

 both prairies and mountains, as far west- 

 ward as Sonora. It is a much wilder 

 bird than the squamata ; less conspicu- 

 ous, as also less noisy, and never seen in 

 flocks, living about old camps, as is often 

 the case with the latter. Its haunts are 

 far removed from the habitation of man, 

 and the indifference it sometimes mani- 

 fests to this presence is due to its ignor- 

 ance of his power and attributes. Though 

 distributed over the same country as the 

 squamata, it is not found in such barren 

 regions as the latter frequently is, pre- 

 ferring fhose regions most luxuriantly 

 covered with vegetation." 



"First seen in the Canon Guapuco, 

 twelve leagues south of Monterey. 

 Though rather shy, it seemed quite at 

 home in the cultivated fields and stubbles 

 of the ranches." — D. N. Couch. 



"This bird I have never seen further 

 south in Texas than Turkey Creek. In 

 this vicinity it was very common, and 



