Illustrations of the Birds of California, Texas, Oregon, British and Russian America

by John Cassin

DESCRIPTION AND TECHNICAL OBSERVATIONS.

Genus Icterus. Brisson Ornithologie, II. p. 85, (quarto, Paris, 1760.)

Bill, conic, straight, or slightly curved, and entering the frontal plumes, point acute, nostrils basal partly covered by a membrane. Wings, rather long and pointed; tail, long; tarsi moderate, slender, covered with scales. Colours, generally yellow and black. About twenty-five species known, all of which are natives of America.

Icterus cucullatus. Swainson in Philos. Mag., 1827, p. 486.

Form. Slender and delicate; bill, very acute, curved; wing, rather short, with the third quill longest; tail, rather long, graduated; tarsi and feet, slender.

Dimensions. Total length (of skin) from tip of bill to end of tail, about 7½ inches; wing, 3½; tail, 4 inches; female, slightly smaller.

Colours. Male. Narrow frontal band, throat and neck in front, and space extending to the eye, back, wings and tail, glossy black. External edges of the quills, and tips of wing coverts white, the latter forming two white bars on the wing. Upper part of the head and neck, rump and upper tail coverts, and all the under parts, fine golden yellow, paler on the abdomen. Inferior wing coverts, and tail feathers at their basis, pale yellow. Bill, bluish horn colour.

Female. Entire upper parts, olive green, tinged with yellow on the head and rump. Wings, pale brown; coverts, tipped with white, and quills narrowly edged with white; tail, above, yellowish green. Entire under parts, greenish yellow.

Hab. Texas and Mexico. Spec. in Mus. Acad. Philada.

Obs. This species does not intimately resemble any other of its group, though partaking of their general style of colouring, and can be readily recognized by the student. Very fine specimens were obtained in Texas by Capt. McCown, which are now in the collection of Mr. George N. Lawrence, of New York, to whom we are indebted for an opportunity to figure the female. The latter does not resemble the male in colour.

Our figures are about two-thirds of the natural size.

Plate 9
Gambels Partridge
Callipepla Gambellii (Nuttall)

CALLIPEPLA GAMBELII.—(Nuttall.)
Gambel’s Partridge.
PLATE IX.—Male and Young Female.

Mexico and the adjacent parts of the United States are particularly productive of game birds, and amongst them are several species of Partridges, unrivalled in beauty of plumage by those of any other country of the world. Of those, some prefer fertile valleys, or grounds under cultivation; others appear to live almost entirely in the barren plains, or in the mountains.

Independently of the usefulness of those birds as food, to the citizens of the States alluded to, and to those who, in future years, shall occupy with their farms and homesteads districts yet unpeopled, the numerous game birds must always be a source of constant interest and amusement. Like the Deer, and like the Turkey, Grouse, and Partridge of other States, their pursuit is not only an easily attainable amusement, but serves also for the cultivation of a knowledge of, and expertness in the use of firearms, which are peculiarly characteristic of our vigorous and successful population, and have contributed in an important degree to the formation of the character of the world-renowned citizen-soldier of the United States.

Experience in hunter life, and the incidental influences of its occupations and associations, are no inconsiderable features in American education; and the invigorating and healthful pursuits of the youthful hunter or trapper have always appeared to us to be no unimportant agents in the development of his physical and of his intellectual constitution. In large portions of every State of the Union, the gun or the rifle is the favourite companion of almost every boy from the earliest period of his competency for its management; and we have seen abundant instances, in our early days, of very considerably forced presumption of competency. In fact, the stranger, in very many of the rural districts of the United States, might almost be tempted to conclude that the famous ancient formula of early education had been adopted, with an addition: “Learn to speak the truth and to swim”—and to shoot.

The beautiful Partridge now before us was discovered a few years since in New Mexico, by Dr. William Gambel, in honor of whom it has been named. The first description of it is in the Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, I. p. 260, April, 1843, and afterwards was reprinted in the Journal of the same society, I. p. 219, (Quarto.)

Since that period it has repeatedly been observed, and we have now the gratification of being able to present to our readers a particular history of this fine species.

Our friend, Captain S. G. French, of the United States Army, to whose kindness we have previously been indebted, has favoured us with the following interesting account:

“This species was found by me on the Rio Grande, some seventy miles below El Paso; and from that point to the place just mentioned, the numbers constantly increased. They seem to be partial to the abodes of man, and are very numerous about the old and decayed buildings, gardens, fields, and vineyards around Presidio, Isileta, and El Paso. During my stay there in the summer of 1851, every morning and evening their welcome call was heard around us, and at those early and late hours they were constantly to be found in the sandy roads and paths near the villages and farms. In the middle of the hot summer days, they rest in the sand, under the shade and protection of the thick chapparal; and, when disturbed, they glide through the bushes very swiftly, seldom resorting to flight, and uttering all the while a peculiar chirping note, by which they appear to be enabled to keep together. The parent birds would utter the same chirp whenever I endeavoured to capture their young. The male and female were always found with the young birds, and showed much affection for them, even endeavoring to attract my attention to themselves by their actions and cries.”

Col. George A. McCall, the accuracy of whose knowledge of the birds of Western America is unrivalled, gives an interesting account of this bird in his “Remarks on the habits, &c., of Birds met with in Western Texas, between San Antonio and the Rio Grande, and in New Mexico,” published in the Proceedings of the Philadelphia Academy, V. p. 213, (June, 1851):

“After losing sight of the Massena Partridge, I did not fall in with the present species until we reached the Limpia river, about 100 miles west of the Pecos.

“This beautiful bird, whose habits, in some respects, bear resemblance to the common partridge, like that, seems to prefer a more genial and hospitable region. In this part of the country, the Mesquite tree (Acacia glandulosa) is more or less common; and the Mesquite grass, and other plants bearing nutritious seeds, are abundant. Here, this partridge increases rapidly in numbers, and becomes very fat; and, as I afterwards ascertained, is much disposed to seek the farms, if any be within reach, and to cultivate the acquaintance of man. About the rancho of Mr. White, near El Paso, I found them very numerous; and here, in flocks of fifty or a hundred, they resort, morning and evening, to the barn-yard, and feed around the grain stacks, in company with the poultry, where they receive their portion, as it is scattered amongst them by the hand of the owner. I found them distributed through the country from the Limpia to the Rio Grande, a range from east to west exceeding one hundred miles; and along the Rio Grande, from Eagle Spring Pass to Don Ana, a distance of one hundred and twenty miles. North of this I did not see them. I was not among them during the season of incubation.”

But the most comprehensive and complete account ever before published of this Partridge, has been furnished by the same gentleman (Col. McCall) for insertion into our present article; for which, and for many other similar favours from him, we beg to tender our deep sense of obligation.

“Whilst in California, during the last summer, (1852,) I was enabled to ascertain the western limit of this species as satisfactorily as I had previously ascertained its eastern limit within the State of Texas. And, although the extent of its range to the north is not yet clearly established, it may be said that the portion of our territory inhabited by this beautiful bird is a rather narrow belt of country, (say one thousand miles long by two hundred broad,) embraced between the 31st and 34th parallels of north latitude, and extending from the Pecos river in Texas to the Sierra Nevada and the contiguous desert in California. Be it understood, however, that when I speak of a narrow belt of country along a certain parallel, I do not intend to say that the habitat of the species does not extend beyond this belt into Mexico; but that the river Gila being our southern boundary through the greater part of the region referred to, the portion of our own territory inhabited by this bird is confined to such a belt as I have indicated.

“First, then, with respect to its western limit. This species was discovered by Dr. Gambel, ‘on the eastern side of the Californian range of mountains, in 1841.’ He did not meet with it on the western side; nor has it, as far as made known, been found there since that time by others. During the last summer, search was made for it by several gentlemen who were interested in the subject, as well as by myself, in different localities from north to south along the Pacific slope, but in every instance without success. Hence, the inference must be that this Partridge has never crossed to the west of the Sierra, where, as we well know, it is abundantly replaced by the closely allied species, the ‘California Partridge.’ Following down the Sierra Nevada to its junction with the coast-range, you come upon a desert of sand of vast extent; and as the snowy peaks of the Sierra had stopped the march of this species above, so did the burning sands of the desert stop its progress below, and effectually shut it out from the Pacific plain. It is true I found it at Alamo macho (cottonwood grove), which is 44 miles west of the Colorado river. Thus far it had penetrated into the dreary waste, and had managed to find shelter and subsistence where there is little to support animal life. But from this oasis to Valle-cita (little valley), it is seventy miles. In this interval, a vast ocean of sand presents a formidable barrier, as is but too plainly indicated by the bleached bones of horses and mules scattered along the route—and this barrier effectually separates the two congenerous species of partridge: the range of Gambel’s Partridge being confined to the east of this desert, while the range of the California Partridge is confined to the west of it—although on both sides they approach to the very edge, as I ascertained from personal observation.

“In the second place, with respect to its eastern limit—I have to repeat that I did not meet with this species in Texas, either in going or returning, anywhere east of the Pecos river; nor was it found by either of three other parties who explored those regions, both previously and subsequently, until after they had passed to the west of that river. Here, again, a sandy desert, between the Pecos and Devil’s river, is the barrier beyond which the species under consideration has not extended its range to the eastward; and, as it is replaced beyond the Sierra and the desert in the west by the California Partridge, so is it replaced beyond the Pecos in the east by the Massena Partridge.

“With regard to the northern and southern limits of this species, less is known. I found it in 1850, on the Limpia creek, in N. Lat. 31°—thence to the Rio Grande, and up that river to Don Ana, Lat. 33°. But I found it nowhere beyond that point, either near the river or among the hills as far back as the foot of the Sierra de los Mimbres, and I passed up and down between El Paso and Santa Fe at different seasons of the year; yet through all this country I met with the Blue Partridge (C. squamata). The species in question, however, is known to be abundant in the country around the sources of the Gila river. It has also been found along that river, from the Pimo villages to its mouth; and there is no doubt it inhabits the entire valley of the Gila. It was common along the Colorado river, as far up as Camp Yuma (mouth of Gila), and it has been met with in that valley as high up as Yampai creek, N. Lat. 34°, but I have no information of its having been found north of that parallel.

“The habits of this species are, in most respects, similar to those of the California Partridge; but it has always appeared to me less vigilant and wild. I was not so fortunate, however, as to discover its nest; nor did I gather from others any information as to its eggs—their colour or their markings. I frequently heard the call or song of the male bird during the period of nesting, which, from some cause or other not apparent to me, was later than that of its congener. As early as June 4th, I found covies of the young of the California Partridge large enough to fly—say one-fourth grown; whilst all the birds of this species (and I saw many,) as late as June 16th, were still without their young. But the voice of the male, as I was about to remark, is, at this season, strikingly rich and full. A very good idea may be formed of his cry by slowly pronouncing, in a low tone, the syllables ‘kaa-wale,’ ‘kaa-wale.’ These notes, when uttered close at hand, are by no means loud; yet it is perfectly astonishing to what a distance they may be heard when the day is calm and still. There was to me something extremely plaintive in this simple love-song, which I heard for the first time during a day of burning heat passed upon the desert. I had reached the well at Alamo mucho before noon, and had halted to rest my jaded mules after their toilsome march. Here is, in truth, a desert!—figure to yourself, if you can, a portion of this fair earth, where, for some hundreds of miles, the whole crust seems to have been reduced to ashes by the action of internal fires; behold a vast plain of desolation, surrounded, and, at intervals, intersected by abrupt mountain ranges, which are little better than gigantic heaps of scoria; imagine this scenery to be actually glowing under the direct rays of a midsummer sun, and you may have some idea of the prospect that meets the eye of the traveller who looks out upon the desert from the well of the Alamo. You may perceive in his rear a few stunted cottonwood-trees scattered along the edge of a channel, in which, apparently, water once was, but now is not; whilst around him, here and there, is a light-leafed mesquite that stretches forth its slender arms, and appears to invite him to a shade which is but a mockery. Here it was that I first heard the plaintive voice of this bird as he strove to cheer his mate whilst occupied in the tedious task of incubation.

“I had passed the hours of noon stretched upon the sand near the well: the thermometer, in the best shade to be obtained, indicating a temperature of 140° to 150°, (Fahrenheit); and as the sun began to decline towards the horizon, the first wakeful sound of animal life that greeted my ear was the soft ‘kaa-wale,’ ‘kaa-wale,’ of this beautiful bird. I turned towards a cluster of mesquite, at the distance of some two hundred yards from which the call seemed to come, but could discern no object in motion. This song was continued, at short intervals, for about an hour; when, at last, one of the birds came forth upon the sand, and was soon followed by its mate. They ran lightly over the sand, and glided into the gully, where they began to search for their evening meal. I followed with my gun and secured them both—they were a male and female, the skins of which I have preserved. This was June 8th.

“Later in the season, when a covey is dispersed, the cry for assembling is ‘qua-el,’ ‘qua-el.’ The voice at all seasons bears much resemblance to that of the California Partridge—having, in its intonation, no similarity to the whistle of the Virginia or common partridge.

“The crops of those killed at the Alamo, and thence to the Colorado, were filled with the leaves of the mesquite, which seemed to be their principal food, though in some were found remains of coleopterous insects. In some of those killed near the river I found the wild gooseberry.

“The dimensions of this species, given by Gould in his ‘Odontophorinæ,’ are, (? skin) length 9¾ inches; wing, 4½; tail, 4. By Dr. Gambel, (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci., Philada., I. p. 260,) length, over 10 inches; wing, 4½; tail, 4½.

“Those I obtained in California were as follows, (measured immediately when killed):

“♂	length, 10½ to 11⅜;	wing, 4½;	tail, 4½.
“♀	“ 10⅜ to 10⅝;	wing, 4½;	tail, 4½.”

The identical pair of birds alluded to in this excellent and satisfactory history is represented in our plate; and the specimens, with many others collected by this gentleman, are now in the collection of the Philadelphia Academy.

Fine specimens of this bird are also now in the national collection at Washington, and were collected by Dr. Woodhouse, while attached to the party under command of Captain Sitgreaves, which surveyed the rivers Zunia and the Colorado of the west.