clxxxii 
Peedicid® . BIRDS. Peedioid® . 
'I'liey are very numerous at the two extremes of 
Hudson’s Bay. Like the preceding, it is white in 
winter. 
WHITE-TAILED PTARMIGAN {Lagopus leucurm). 
— This is a north-western species, inliabiting the 
alpine summits of the western mountains, and along 
the cascades of Oregon, Washington and Briti.sh 
(Jolumbia. Its color in winter is pure white, having- 
no black upon the tail, as in the other species. 
Like several other species, this bird exhibits a sin- 
gularly mottled appearance between the extremes of 
winter and summer plumage, the full summer dress 
being of a grayish-white and ashy-buff, sprinkled 
with black. 
Family — PFjRDICIDHiI. 
The Partridges. 
Birds of this family, unlike the Grouse, have naked 
legs and bare nasal fossm. They are much smaller, 
and the species are much more numerous. They 
have a wide distribution, being found in almost any 
quarter of the globe. 
BOB-WHITE; QUAIL; PARTRIDGE ( Orii/a: wVym- 
ianus.) — Plate VI, fig- xi. — I’liis most familiar bird is 
found in the Eastern United States, and as far west 
as the High Central Plains ; southward to Texas. 
In Maine, however, it is a stranger, if, indeed, it 
is ever found there. In New Hampshire and Ver- 
mont it is rare. The severity of the winters and 
much hunting have very materially lessened its 
numbers in Massachusetts. 'I’hey are not migratory, 
but remain in the neighborhood where they are 
reared. 'I'he severe winters affect them seriously at 
times, when, during a fall of snow, they huddle to- 
gether and allow themselves to be buried for a while. 
If the snow is light they easily manage to thrust 
through it, but they are occasionally kept fast by 
the freezing of the surface, when they jierish from 
hunger. They are sometimes found in this position 
in large numbers. Bob-white is always found in 
open grounds, or nearly so, near the edge of woods. 
Its food consists largely of the seeds of various 
plants, berries, etc. Later in the season it feeds 
on grasshoppers. In country villages it often be- 
comes quite tame, and ventures near the farmyards to 
eat with the poultry. In the Central Park, New 
York, it is frequently heard uttering its peculiar 
note. Bob-white! bob-white! We have frequently 
heard this note in low ground within a few rods of 
the grand Fifth Avenue entrance to the park — the 
Scholars’ Gate, so-called. In the interior towns of 
Massachusetts this note is interpreted More-wet ! 
more-wet! and the farmer considers his note to be a 
precursor of rain. It has two broods in a sea- 
son, the male taking charge of the first brood when 
they are about half grown. 'The male is exceedingly 
devoted and courageous. Dr. Brewer relates that he 
once came upon a covey of young Quail feeding on 
blue-berries, directly in the path. T’hey did not see 
him until he was close upon them, when the old bird, 
a tine old male, flew directly towards him and tum- 
bled at his feet, as if in a dying condition, giving at 
the same time a shrill whistle, expressive of intense 
alarm. At this moment the bird could have been 
easily caught. 'I’he young birds, at the cry of the 
parent, flew in all directions, and the male soon fol- 
lowed them, and began calling in a low cluck, like 
the cry of the Brown I'hrasher. 'J’hese young were 
hardly a week old, yet they seemed to fly well for a 
short distance. In view of the inappropriate name 
our bird has obtained — Quail — Prof. Baird has pro- 
posed the familiar title Bob-white. It is now 
generally understood among naturalists and sports- 
men that this shall be recognized as the name of our 
species in all parts of the country where it is found. 
PLUMED PARTRIDGE [Oreortyx y?ictws). — This 
bird, called also the Mountain Partridge, inhabits 
the mountain ridges of California and Oregon, to- 
wards the coast. 'I’he Mountain Partridge, accord- 
ing to Dr. Newberry, is similar in some respects to 
the Common Partridge of Europe. 'They are usually 
found in the chaparral, where they readily escape by 
running and hiding, seldom rising on the wing. 'This 
species appears to be easily tamed and domesticated. 
'The call-note is said to be almost exactly like that 
of the Hen-turkey. 'The male, instead of a whistling- 
note, like that of the Bob-white, has a crowing 
sound, like Icoo-Tcoo-hooe ! 'The eggs of this species 
are similar, in general shape, to the preceding, hav- 
ing the pointed and the very obtuse ends respectively. 
'They are of a very rich cream color, with a reddish 
shading, and unspotted. 'The female is like the male, 
with the exception that the crest is shorter. 
CALIFORNIA QUAIL [Lophortyx californicus ] — 
Plate VI. fig. xii. — -'This beautiful species inhabits the 
valley portions and foot-hills of the Pacific Province 
of the United States, reaching southward to Cape 
St. Lucas. Like the preceding species, this is richly 
marked in plumage, and has two pompon-like crests, 
jet-black in color, which stand erect upon the occi- 
put. 'The female is similar, with a shorter crest. It 
is called the Valley Quail in California, to distin- 
guish it from the Mountain Quail, its habits leading 
it more into the prairies and low grounds near river 
banks. Dr. Newberry describes its note as rather 
harsh and disagreeable, somewhat resembling that 
of the Woodpeckers. 'The cry is represented, lie 
says, by the syllables hudc-lcuch-lcuclc-Tcd, ! the first 
three notes being rapidly repeated, the last pro- 
longed, with a falling inflection. As a game bird, it 
is regarded as inferior to Bob-white. It is easily 
domesticated. 
GAMBEL’S QUAIL [Lophort/yx gambeli). — 'The 
habitat of this bird is given as in the Colorado Val- 
ley ; north to Southern Utah, and east to Western 
'Te.xas. It has the beautiful black crest of the pre- 
ceding- species. Like the other species, it is easily 
domesticated. “ 'This Quail is said to have three 
distinct notes — the common cry, uttered on all occa- 
sions of alarm, or to call the bevy together, which is 
a single mellow, clear chink, with a metallic reso- 
nance, repeated an indefinite number of times ; then a 
clear, loud, energetic whistle, resembling the syllables 
Mllink-TcilUnTc! chiefly heard during the pairing- 
season, and is analogous to the bob-white of the 
