This sub-species is like the last with the addition of a chestnut patch on the belly. Their breeding habits do not vary in any particular way from those of the Scaled Partridge. 294. CALIFORNIA QUAIL. _Lophortyx californica californica._ Range.--Coast region 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 × .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 × .95. [Illustration 179: Creamy white.] [Illustration: California Partridge.] [Illustration: Buff.] [Illustration: right hand margin.] Page 178 296. MEARNS QUAIL. _Cyrtonyx montezumæ 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 distinguishable with certainty from those of the Bob-white, but average longer. Size 1.25 × .95. 297. DUSKY GROUSE. _Dendragapus obscurus obscurus._ Range.--Rocky Mountain region from central Montana south to New Mexico.