on of California, Oregon, Washington and British
Columbia.

This is one of the most beautiful of the Partridges, with its crest of
feathers rising from the crown and curving forwards so that the
broadened ends hang directly over the bill. It is about the size of the
preceding species, and is distinguished from the following one by its
white forehead, chestnut patch on the belly and the scaly appearance of
the feathers in that region, by its dark crown and the gray flanks with
white streaks. They lay from eight to twenty eggs with a creamy white or
buffy ground color, handsomely blotched with shades of brown and
yellowish brown. Size 1.20 x .93.

294a. VALLEY PARTRIDGE. _Lophortyx californica vallicola._

Range.--Interior portions of California, Oregon and Washington.

The nesting habits of this grayer sub-species do not differ in any
manner from those of the above species. The eggs are indistinguishable.

295. GAMBEL QUAIL. _Lophortyx gambeli._

Range.--Southwestern United States from Texas to California; north to
Utah.

This handsome species differs from the California in the Chestnut crown
and flanks, and the black patch on the belly. They are very abundant in
Arizona, both on the mountains and in the valleys, and apparently
without any regard to the nearness to, or remoteness from a water
supply. They breed during May, laying their eggs on the ground under any
suitable cover. The eggs cannot be distinguished from those of the
California Partridge, except that they average a trifle larger. Size
1.25 x .95.

[Illustration 179: Creamy white.]
[Illustration: California Partridge.]
[Illustration: Buff.]
[Illustration: right hand margin.]

Page 178

296. MEARNS QUAIL. _Cyrtonyx montezumae mearnsi._

Range.--Mexico, north to southern Arizona and New Mexico, and to western
Texas.

A remarkable species about 9 inches long; often called "Fool Quail"
because of its eccentric and clownish markings, streaks and spots of
black, white, buff, gray and chestnut. It is met with in small flocks on
the mountains and less frequently in the valleys. It frequents scrubby
wooded places rather than open hill sides and is very easy to approach
and kill; this confidence or stupidity together with its clownish
appearance are the reasons for its commonly used local name. Their nests
are hollows in the ground, lined with grasses and concealed by
overhanging tufts of grass. The eggs, which are pure white, are not
distinguisha