CALIFORNIAN PARTRIDGE. 
Ortix Californica, Lath. 
PLATE CCXC. — Male and Female 
This beautiful species was discovered in the course of the voyage of La 
Perouse, and figured in the atlas accompanying the account of that unfortu- 
nate expedition, but without any other notice respecting its habits or distri- 
bution, than an intimation of its having been found abundant in the plains 
and thickets of California, where it formed large flocks. Mr. Townsend 
has lately sent me a beautiful specimen of the male, which he procured on 
the 6th of March, 1837, near Santa Barbara in California. I have to regret, 
however, that he has not furnished me with any account of its habits. Mr. 
Nuttall, in speaking to me of this bird, informed me that it is very gentle 
or confident, so as to be in a great measure regardless of the approach of-man, 
that its manners resemble those of our Common or Virginian Partridge, and 
that the males in spring are seen perched on low bushes, where they utter 
their love-notes in the same emphatic manner as the species just mentioned. 
Perdix californica, Lath. Ind. Oruitli, Supplt., p. G2. 
Californian Partridge, Perdix Californica , And. Orn. Biog., vol. v. p. 152. 
Male, 9p, wing, 4 T V Female, 9, wing, 4 T V 
Upper California. Abundant. Resident. 
Adult Male. 
Bill very short, stout ; its dorsal outline decurved from the base, the ridge 
narrow, the sides sloping and slightly convex, the edges sharp and over- 
lapping, the tip rather obtuse but thin-edged ; nostrils basal, oblong, opercu- 
late in the fore part of the wide nasal groove, which is partially covered 
with feathers ; gap-line a little arched ; lower mandible with the angle short 
and rounded, the dorsal line ascending and slightly convex, the ridge broad, 
the sides convex, the edges sharp, the tip obtuse. 
Head of moderate size, ovate ; neck short ; body full. Feet of moderate 
length, stout; tibia covered to the joint ; tarsus rather short, a little com- 
pressed, sharp-edged behind, covered all round with angular scales, of which 
the anterior are very large ; toes four, the first small and placed higher than 
the rest; the anterior long, rather slender, the fourth considerably longer 
