. Birds of California; an introduction to more than three hundred common birds of the state and adjacent islands, with a supplementary list of rare migrants, accidental visitants, and hypothetical subspecies . quite unlike the mountain partridge, — an inch smaller,with more of a blue tinge to the slate-color ofMoreover the crest is shorter and tipsforward like a pompon,while the mountaini T partridge usually car- -^ -h crest float-> iiig backward. Unlike the nest of themountain partridge, too,the nest of callformiciis israrely concealed, the eggsbeing laid on a mat of loaves or grass on the
. Birds of California; an introduction to more than three hundred common birds of the state and adjacent islands, with a supplementary list of rare migrants, accidental visitants, and hypothetical subspecies . quite unlike the mountain partridge, — an inch smaller,with more of a blue tinge to the slate-color ofMoreover the crest is shorter and tipsforward like a pompon,while the mountaini T partridge usually car- -^ -h crest float-> iiig backward. Unlike the nest of themountain partridge, too,the nest of callformiciis israrely concealed, the eggsbeing laid on a mat of loaves or grass on the open groundbeside a stump or under a bush, and they are sometimesfound in the nest of the Oregon towhee. Doubtless theprotective coloring helps to prevent their discovery dur-ing the three weeks required for incubation. In thistask, unlike our Eastern Bob White, the male doesnot assist, but frequently stands guard at a short distanceand warns of danger by a sharp short call. The chicksare out of the nest almost as soon as out of the shell,and are as skilful as their parents at running to a day or two old they learn to find their own food,picking up the bugs and even jumping for them when. 294. California PAiiTKinGE. It haunts the canons and slopes.^ 120 LAND BIRDS they themselves are not much larger than a good-sizedbeetle. Although so capable and independent, they areconstantly attended by both parents until the down hasmerged into fully developed feathers. Then the gregari-ous habits of the grouse blood assert themselves, and bySeptember 1 all the broods of that district band to-gether to the number of several hundred individuals, andremain so throughout the fall and winter. This is theharvest time of the hunters and the season of unrest forthe birds. In the early autunni mornings in the stubbleof the field and the underbrush of the caiions, you mayhear their plaintive whistle, who-are-you, questioningwhether friend or foe is astir. 294 a. VALLEY PARTRIDGE. —/
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1904
