It has, until recently, been an exceedingly rare and highly prized bird in collections, a few specimens only having reached Europe or the cities on the Atlantic seaboard of the United States. Those have received names, and have been described by various European authors, as will appear from the synonymes included in the present article; but neither of them have published any information relative to the habits or history of this curious bird, nor have indicated the district of Mexico from which it had been received. It has been known only as a museum species.
Since the commencement of the military operations of the United States in Texas, New Mexico and California, and the subsequent incorporation of those countries into this great Confederacy, their natural history has attracted a large share of the attention of naturalists and students at home, and also of many highly accomplished officers of the army. In fact, to the latter gentlemen is to be awarded the high merit of having contributed, notwithstanding the engrossing and deeply responsible character of their professional duties, a large portion of all that is known relative to the zoology of those vast, and especially in a scientific point of view, very interesting regions.
A valuable notice of the Massena Partridge is given by our highly esteemed friend, Col. McCall, in his “Remarks on the habits of birds met with in Western Texas, between San Antonio and the Rio Grande, and in New Mexico, with descriptions of several species believed to have been hitherto undescribed,” published in the Proceedings of the Philadelphia Academy, V. p. 213, (June, 1851,) which we have taken the liberty of transferring to our pages.
“This species was not seen before crossing the San Pedro, but it was not long until it made its appearance in the waste and rocky region into which we then entered. And from that time until we reached the Rio Pecos, a distance of 140 miles, (westwardly by the route travelled,) it was frequently seen, though I should not say it was very common. This region is a desert of great length from north to south, our trail crossing it at nearly right angles. The general face of the country is level, and consists of either a crumbling argillaceous limestone, or a coarse grey sand, producing nothing but a sparse growth of sand plants. Water is found only at long intervals, and except at those points there is little cover for game, and apparently less food,—the principal growth being Cacti, of which the most common is Cactus arborescens; yet here, amongst projecting rocks, or on the borders of dry gullies, or in loose scrub, I found the Massena Partridge in all the beauty of his rich and varied plumage.
“The habits of this species are different from those of any other species of partridge that I have met with. They were in covies of from eight to twelve individuals, and appeared to be extremely simple and affectionate in disposition. In feeding, they separated but little, keeping up a social cluck all the time. They were so gentle as to evince little or no alarm on the approach of man; scarcely moving out of his way as he passed, and only running off or flying a few yards, when perhaps half their numbers were laid low by a shot. This inclined me to think they might with little difficulty be domesticated, although I found them here in a boundless, barren waste, and nowhere near the habitation of man. This trait of gentleness is the very opposite of those strikingly manifested by the scaly partridge, (Callipepla squamata,) which I always observed to be, though found perchance in grounds as little frequented as these, remarkably vigilant, shy, and difficult to approach. The call or signal note of this species is peculiar. I never saw it after crossing the Pecos river.”
Col. McCall’s observations on the habits of this bird confirm an opinion expressed by Mr. Gould in his Monograph of American Partridges: “No account whatever has yet reached us of the habits and economy of this species, which, judging from the comparative shortness of the toes, and the great development of its claws, we may expect to be different from those of other members of the family.”
The circular spots which are numerous on the inferior parts of the body in this partridge, appear to indicate as a character an analogy to the Guinea fowls, which is further sustained by its habit of uttering its note continually when in company with its fellows, or when feeding. The Guinea fowls in their native wilds also associate in small parties, and take wing only reluctantly, and for short distances.
Capt. S. G. French, of the U. S. Army, has most kindly and very opportunely presented us with fine specimens of this and other species preserved in spirits, for which, as well as for some valuable memoranda, we beg here to express our gratitude. He remarks, with reference to this species: “It was in the summer of 1846, when crossing the then pathless and untrodden plains or table lands which extend westwardly from San Antonio, Texas, to New Mexico, that I first met with this beautiful partridge. On a bright summer afternoon, I undertook the ascent of a high rocky mountain for the purpose of obtaining a view of the valley through which the San Pedro river takes its course, and when I had gained the summit I observed several of these birds, a few feet only in advance of me, running along over the fragments of rocks and through the dwarf bushes, which grew wherever there was sufficient soil. Their handsome plumage and their gentleness attracted my attention, and I felt many regrets that I had left my gun behind me, thereby losing the opportunity of securing specimens for examination.
“A few days afterwards, however, when encamped on the head waters of the river, I found a covey, and succeeded in obtaining several specimens, one of which I had skinned, but which was afterwards unfortunately lost. From that point we occasionally met with these birds on the route to the Pecos river, a distance of over one hundred miles. I did not see them again until we came to the Eagle Springs, in a mountainous region about twenty-five miles from the Rio Grande. Two covies were found there, and several specimens were obtained.
“In the spring of 1851, I again passed over the same route in charge of a military expedition, and on the way out, two of these birds only were seen, one of which, (a female,) was killed by Major E. Backus, U. S. Army, and is now in the collection of Dr. Woodhouse, who was then going out with a party of topographical engineers to which he was attached. When returning in July last, I chanced to kill at an encamping ground near Howard’s Springs, between the San Pedro and Pecos rivers, the specimen which I now send you. It was the only one that I saw on the route as I came back from New Mexico, and it is but fair to conjecture that these birds are not at all numerous.