Tin-: cox DOR 
Vol. XIV 
i,n 
decrease of birds in g'eneral and of these birds in particular, and to offer, if 
possible, .some sngge.stions as to ways and means of conserving this valuable 
game bird. 
The sincere thanks of the writer are due Professor C. A. Kofoid, Professor 
J. C. IMerriam, Professor A'. E. Ritter, and i\Ir. Joseph (irinnell, of the Uni- 
versitv of California, for their helpful criticism and sngge.stions during the 
])reparation of the present paper. 
Three different s])ecies of (|uail are found within the confines of the State 
of California, the mountain (|uail (Orcortyx picta), the California valley quail 
( LopJiortyx calif oniica ) , and the Gambel or desert quail ( Loplwrtyx "aiiihcli). 
The first is di.stinctly a high mountain bird and is seldom found below 3000 
feet elevation. The Gambel (|uail is known only in the southeastern part of the 
state, where it rei)laces the valley quail on the desert. The California valley 
(|uail is by far the mo.st abundant of the species. Three geographical races, or 
sub-species of this .s])ecies, varying slightly in color, are recognized. As these 
races do not differ in habits they are not distinguished in this paper. 
It is always a difficult matter to obtain any adequate idea of the numbers 
of anv species of bird because, as a rule, little reliance can be placed on the 
opinions of different observers. What might seem a large number to one ob- 
server might seem a very small number to another. In order that some idea 
of the numbers of quail at the present time, compared with the numbers of 
several years ago, might be obtained, the b'ish and Game Commission sent out 
lists of ([uestions to its deputies throughout the state. By plotting the reports 
of the deputies on the map of the state, it is easily seen that the two places where 
there is a consensus of opinion that quail have decreased, are southern California 
and the iqiper part of the San |oa(|uin \"alley. { See map, fig. 57. ) 
'Idle reason for the decrease in these particular localities can easily be 
traced to the hunter. Southern California is well populated and has at least 
a due ])roportion of hunters, as is shown by the sale of hunting licenses, over 
12,500 being sold in 1910. 'fhe hunting grounds easily accessible from the bay 
cities naturall}^ show a decrease also. The intensive cultivation in these same 
localities causes a destruction of food and cover, essential to the maintenance 
of quail. The answers also show that whereas in some localities there has been 
a decided decrease, in other localities the birds have either held their own or 
have increased. Since many of the deputies have only been accjuainted with 
their particular locality for ten years, the records, in most cases, give an idea 
of the status for this length of time only. 
When descriptions of the numbers of quail existing twenty years ago are 
compared with jiresent conditions, it must be admitted that there are many 
less quail at the present time. Mr. T. S. \'an Dyke, writing in Otttiiig in 1890, 
says : "'fhe statement may seem extravagant, but for many years it was a sim- 
ple matter for a good shot to bag 200 in a day, all at single shots on the wing. 
I'or several years market shooters shipped an average of 10,000 ai)iece for the 
season. This hoggish w'ork, with the number crippled and finally killed, has 
greatly reduced their numbers." 
Air. C. H. Shinn, writing in the same year, in giving the records of two 
hunters at San Diego, says: ‘‘In eighteen consecutive hunts the smallest bag 
consisted of forty-seven (|uail and five rabbits : one of the largest bags com- 
prised 187 (juail, 8 doves, and 1 rabbit, and no less than six bags ran far above a 
