File:American game-bird shooting (1910) (14569005097).jpg

Identifier: americangamebird00grin (find matches)
Title: American game-bird shooting
Year: 1910 (1910s)
Authors: Grinnell, George Bird, 1849-1938
Subjects: Game and game-birds Hunting
Publisher: New York, Forest and stream publishing company
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Smithsonian Libraries

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and less elegant in shape than some of its rela-tives which inhabit the same region, but may not thisbe only another way of stating that it is unsuspiciousand not easily alarmed? The wariest of gallinaceousbirds, if ignorant of the presence of an enemy, carriesits feathers more or less loosely, walks with a shortneck, and has a rounded back, thus presenting an ap-pearance very different from the same bird when itis startled or alarmed and about to take to flight.Then the neck is stretched upward, the bird stands highon its legs, all its feathers are pressed close to its body,its crest is raised, and it stands there alert and pre-pared to dart away at a seconds warning. In Texas this bird is known as the black quail, orthe black-bellied quail, while, as said, in Arizona, onaccount of its gentle nature it is called fool quail. Itis said to frequent rocky ravines heading well up intothe mountains, but of recent years has come to theranches, and is found feeding in the green fields. Cap-
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Mearns Quail. MASSENA QUAIL 109 tain Bendire says that in Mexico he has several timesseen them living contentedly in cages. Capt. W. L. Carpenter saw the Massena partridge inthe Rio Grande Valley, near Taos, Mexico, and on theheadwaters of the Black and White rivers, where hebelieved it bred. In the breeding season, in Arizona,they are said to frequent live-oak scrub and patchesof rank grass, at an altitude of seven to nine thousandfeet. Here, according to Mr. John Swinburne, writ-ing to Captain Bendire, they are summer residents,only descending to much lower altitudes in winter.They lie very close at all times, allowing one to almoststep on them before they move. I have seen this specieson the White Mountains during the breeding season,and saw young birds of the year shot there. Eventhe adults seemed very stupid when suddenly flushed,and after flying short distances would alight and at-tempt to hide in most conspicuous places. I have seenmen follow and kill them by throwing stones. C

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