268 
145. Oreortyx picta, Douglas.—Mountain Quail. 
Ortyx picta, Dougl., Trans. Linn. Sc., xvi, 1829,143. 
Callipepla picta, Newb., P. II. H. Rep., vi, 1857, 93.—TIeenn., ibid, x, 1859, Birds, f51. 
Oreortyx pictus, Bd., B. N. A., 1858, 642.—Xantus, Proc. Phila. Acad. Nat. Sci., 1859,192. — Coop. Sc 
Suckl., P. R. R. Rep., vol. xii, pt. ii, 1860, 225.—Coop., B. Cal., i, 1870, 546.—Coues, Key N. A. B., 
1872, 237.—B., B., & R., N. A. B., iii, 1874, 475, pi. 63, f. 5.—Nelson, Proc. Boat. Soc. Nat. Hist., 
vol. xvii, 364 (California). 
This, the most beautiful of all our game-birds, is limited in its distribution to Cali¬ 
fornia and Oregon, and, as its name well implies, is strictly a bird of the mountains. 
We found it in the mountains near Fort Tejon, and in the Sierras in a sufficient num¬ 
ber of localities as to justify the belief that its distribution in Southern California is 
at least quite general, aud dependent only upon the mountainous nature of the coun¬ 
try. In summer, it is not found lower than 4,000 feet, aud is not so common at this 
elevation as somewhat higher. Above 9,000 feet, it was not seen, and this is presuma¬ 
bly about its limit. Its habitat is thus complementary to that of the Valley Quail, the 
higher and lower limits of either species occasionally overlapping each other. It seems 
nowhere to be an abundant species. As compared with the preceding, the bevies are 
very small, and I do not remember to have ever seen more than fifteen together, 
oftener less. It is a wild, timid bird, haunting the thick chaparral-thickets, and rarely 
coming into the opening. When a band is surprised, they are not easily forced on the 
wing, but will endeavor to find safety by running and taking refuge in the thickness 
and impenetrability of their favorite thickets. If forced, however, they rise vigorously 
and fly swiftly and well, and sometimes to a considerable distance, and then make 
good their escape by running. During the heat of midday, they will be found reposing 
under the thick shade of the chaparral, and there they remain till the cooler hours in¬ 
vite them to continue their quest for food. When the covey has been scattered, the 
males have a loud call, which consists of a series of notes clearly given, the whole 
recalling to mind the notes of the Golden Flicker. Besides this, both sexes have the 
more commonly heard piping-notes, which they emit just as they take to wing, and 
when they are agitated, or moved by fear. 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
Date. 
Collector. 
Wing. 
Tail. 
Bill. 
Tarsus. 
■283 
cT ad. 
Mountains near Fort Tejon, Cal 
Aug. 
3 
H. W. Henshaw 
5. 50 
3. 70 
0. 60 
1.41 
•417 
.do. 
A n g. 
19 
_do. 
5. 25 
3. 65 
0. 57 
1. 47 
724 
$ ad. 
.do. 
Au<r. 
1 
_do. 
5. 30 
3. 43 
0. 60 
1. 40 
723 
.do. 
A U£T. 
1 
_do. 
5. 40 
3. 27 
0. 62 
1. 37 
780 
$ ad. 
.do. 
A n cr 
1 
__do. 
5. 25 
3. 45 
0. 57 
1. 45 
779 
$ ad. 
.do. 
Aug. 
1 
__do. 
640 
cT ad. 
Walker’s Basin, Cal. 
Nov. 
5 
__do. 
5. 43 
3. 77 
0. 58 
1. 48 
700 
.do. 
Nov. 
5 
__do. 
5. 43 
3 53 
0. 58 
1. 47 
701 
ad. 
.do. 
Nov. 
5 
.... do. 
702 
c? ad. 
.do. 
Nov. 
5 
_do. 
ClIARADRIIDAk—PLOVERS. 
146. AEgialitis vocifera, (Linn.).—Ivilldeer Plover. 
By the side of every lake and along all the streams, as well as on the shores of Cali¬ 
fornia, this Plover is found in great abundance. It is only partially migratory, num¬ 
bers remaining in Southern California till the ensuing spring sends them farther north. 
The Mountain Plover (A. montana) occurs and is numerous in certain localities in 
Southern California, as on the plains about Los Angeles. 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
Date. 
Collector. 
4571 
? jun- 
Walker’s Basin, Cal. 
Nov. 9 
H. W. Hensliaw. 
Charadonis cantianus, Lath., Birds, vol. viii, 328 —Heerm., P. R. R. Rep., x. 1859, pt. vi, 64. 
JEgilitis (Leucopolius) nivosa, Cass., Bd., B. N. A., 1858, 696.—Coues, 1866, 274 (Sau Pedro, Cal.). 
JEgilitus cantianus, Coues, Key, 1872, 245. 
147. AEgialitis cantianus, Lath., var. nivosa, (Cass.).—Snowy Plover. 
This species is an abundant one on the coast of California, though by no means a 
strictly coastwise bird. I did not see it in the interior, though Mr. Rnlgway found the 
species at Great Salt Lake, where it was breeding. At Santa Barbara, it was numer¬ 
ous, frequenting here only the sandy shores, not following the creeks inland, and never 
