Part 33

SCALED PARTRIDGE *** Callipepla squamata. 10 in.

With a whitish or buffy-white crest; plumage bluish-gray, with darker edges giving the bird the appearance of being covered with scales. The female is more brownish, but is marked the same as the male. These birds are locally abundant in arid, cactus-covered deserts, often at a distance from water, and frequently in company with Gambel Partridge.

Nest.—8 to 15 eggs are laid in some hollow under a low bush or cactus; they are creamy-white, dotted with minute specks of pale brown (1.25 × .95); April, May.

Range.—Mexico north to Central and Western Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.

293a. Chestnut-bellied Scaled Partridge (C. s. castanogastris), is more richly colored and has a chestnut patch on the middle of the belly. It is found in southern Texas and northeastern Mexico.

GAMBEL PARTRIDGE 295. Lophortyx gambelii. 10 in.

Head with an elegant recurved crest of six or seven feathers; normally these are carried in one packet so that there appears to be but one feather, but when excited, or during the mating season, they may separate the feathers, or sometimes curve them forward so as to touch the bill. Hindhead and sides chestnut, throat and middle of belly black. Female with the throat light and hindhead gray; crest small; no black on belly. An abundant species both in mountains, valleys or deserts, near or remote from water. Habits like those of the eastern Bob-white, but instead of taking wing, they will generally run.

Nest.—Eggs laid on the ground under any suitable cover; creamy-white, handsomely blotched with brown.

Range.—Resident in western Texas, New Mexico and Arizona, north to southern Utah and Nevada.

MEARNS OR MASSENA PARTRIDGE 296. Cyrtonyx montezumæ mearnsi. 9 in.

Bill very stout and compressed. Crest large, puffy and flat. Markings on the male very grotesque and clownish; general color of the female, pinkish brown with streaks of black, and white specks, below, and barred and streaked above. These strange birds are very local in their distribution in the southwest, rare in some localities and occurring in quite large flocks in others. They are so confiding in their disposition, that this, in connection with their clownish plumage, has given them the name of “Fool” Quail. They frequent dry deserts, valleys, or mountains up to an elevation of at least 8,000 feet. When startled, they often squat down, and can almost be caught in the hand, but when they do fly, their flight is very rapid, and accompanied with a peculiar clucking noise.

Nest.—A depression in the ground, lined with grasses, and concealed in clumps of weeds or grass. Their eggs, like those of other partridges, are numerous, pure white, and not as sharply pointed as those of the Bob-white.

Range.—Western Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.

DUSKY GROUSE 297. Dendragapus obscurus. 20 in.

Plumage gray, white and black, with a few rusty markings on the back; wide gray band on tip of tail. Female smaller, browner and more barred above. These large grouse are found on side hills or in gulches, usually not far from water. Like our common Ruffed Grouse, during mating season, the males of this species strut about with tail fully spread over the back, and head thrown back until it nearly touches the tail. At this season they are very pugnacious and the woods will resound with their challenging “toots,”—loud and hollow sounds with a ventriloquial effect.

Nest.—Eggs laid on ground in woods, usually under fallen logs or at the bases of trees; buffy, sparsely spotted with brown (2.00 × 1.40); May, June.

Range.—Rocky Mts., from Mexico to Montana and east to South Dakota. 297b., Richardson Grouse (D. o. richardsonii), is found on the eastern slopes of the Rockies, north to British America. Little or no band on the tail.

HUDSONIAN SPRUCE GROUSE 298. Canachites canadensis. 15 in.

Very similar to the next, which is our common species, but the female is not quite as rusty. Found in Labrador and about Hudson Bay.

CANADA GROUSE; SPRUCE GROUSE 298c. C. c. canace. 15 in.

Male black and grayish; female chiefly rusty, barred with black. The Spruce Grouse is usually found in dense thickets and groves or swamps of evergreen woods. It is one of the least suspicious of birds, and in winter, is sometimes knocked down by sticks in the hands of deer hunters. Their flesh is unfit to eat and consequently they are not hunted.

Notes.—A drumming, said to be produced by the wings, when in the air; a clucking by the female.

Nest.—Eggs laid on the ground, usually under low, spreading branches of spruces; bright buff with bold black blotches (1.70 × 1.25).

Range.—Northern New England, New York and Minnesota, northward.

RUFFED GROUSE 300. Bonassa umbellus. 17 in.

Crested and with two large, black, neck-ruffs; plumage brown, black and white. Female with the ruffs smaller and usually brownish. These grouse have two color phases, the general tone of plumage being either reddish brown or gray, independent of age or sex of bird. These naturally wild, shy grouse are the kings of the eastern game birds, their wariness and speed with which they will dodge through the trees being the only reasons they have so long withstood the hunting to which they are subjected. During spring, the male struts often, tail expanded into a half circle, head thrown back to meet the upturned tail, and ruff spread so as to form a complete collar. They make a loud drumming by beating the air with their wings.

Nest.—Eggs on leaves in the woods; plain brownish-buff (1.55 × 1.15).

Range.—Resident from Va. and Ark. north to southern Canada. 300a., Canadian Ruffed Grouse (B. u. togata), is found in the southern British provinces and northern New England.