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ENG ORD MC Cala ON:

fi lentations : nostrils basal, rather large, and covered with an operculum ; orbits plumed ; wings rather
ne denta S$; nosirius Dasa, a

lencthened and concave; primaries very rigid, the fourth, fifth and sixth the longest ; fail rather long, and
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composed of twelve rigid feathers ; tarsi spurless, and as well as toes rather slender, the latter united at the
Cc S ao :

base by a membrane; the inner toe the shortest.

Of this section six species are now known, and they are by far the most elegant members of the whole
family: all of them exhibit a pleasingly contrasted style of plumage, and are ornamented with a graceful
crest differing in character in every species ; forming in C. picta an attenuated plume which reaches to
the back; rising upwards and falling forwards over the bill in C. Californica, and concave and tufted in C.
squamata: in the first-mentioned species, the ornament would seem to be carried to its maximum. All the
species yet discovered inhabit Mexico; the range of one or two of them extends to the western parts of
North America, and of most of them to California. They are characterized by a uniformity of tint on the
upper surface which is generally olive. In size they are larger than the members of the genus Eupsychortyx ;

still the largest species is smaller than the Common Partridge of Europe.

The sexes differ considerably in colour, the females being unadorned with any bright markings, and

having a less developed crest.

lhe following valuable notes respecting the members of this genus have been kindly transmitted to me

by Dr. Gambel of Philadelphia :—

“Each species appears to inhabit quite a different region, however numerous they may be in their
respective localities. Along the whole coast of Upper California, most of which I have traversed, I never met
with any other than C. Californica, of which species I there met immense flocks ;—I think I have seen as
many as a thousand or more rise at once into the trees upon a sudden alarm.

They form their nests on the
ground under a bush or tree, and

sometimes lay a great number of egos.”
The species are :—

16. Callipepla picta IRxe

: The C. picta Says lve C ni Inna S € mou Ins e€ no Cr I
Say D G 4m D | 5 ¥
bor dei ing on Or egon.

17. Callipepla Californica Pl. XVI
Callipepla Californica, Gamb. in Journ. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phil., vol. i. p. 218

“This beautiful bird.”
iful bird, says Dr. G .

Bays WriGambely “1s extremele : elle eee inter

» 1s extremely abundant throughout California; in the winter

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greg » Sometimes of as m

ating in large flocks
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5 any as a thousand or more, in those places where there

 

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