An egg of this species, taken by Dr. Palmer at Camp Grant, measures 1.25 inches in length by 1.00 in breadth. The ground-color is a cream white, beautifully marked with ragged spots of a deep chestnut. In shape it closely corresponds with the egg of the California Partridge.
Genus CALLIPEPLA, Wagler.
Callipepla, Wagler, Isis, 1832. (Type, Ortyx squamata, Vig.)
Gen. Char. Head with a broad, short, depressed tufted crest of soft, thick feathers springing from the vertex. Other character, as in Lophortyx. Sexes similar.
The single United States species is of a bluish tint, without any marked contrast of color. The feathers of the neck, breast, and belly have a narrow edging of black.
Callipepla squamata, Gray.
SCALED OR BLUE PARTRIDGE.
Ortyx squamatus, Vigors, Zoöl. Journ. V, 1830, 275.—Abert, Pr. A. N. Sc. III, 1847, 221. Callipepla squamata, Gray, Gen. III, 1846, 514.—M’Call, Pr. A. N. Sc. V, 1851, 222.—Cassin, Ill. I, v, 1854, 129; pl. xix.—Gould, Mon. Odont. pl. xix.—Baird, Birds N. Am. 1858, 646.—Ib. Mex. B. II, Birds, 23.—Gray, Cat. Brit. Mus. V, 1867, 78.—Heerm. X, C, 19.—Coop. Orn. Cal. I, 1870, 556. Callipepla strenua, Wagler, Isis, XXV, 1832, 278. Tetrao cristata, De la Llave, Registro trimestre, I, 1832, 144.
Sp. Char. Head with a full, broad, flattened crest of soft elongated feathers. Prevailing color plumbeous-gray, with a fine bluish cast on jugulum and nape, whitish on the belly, the central portion of which is more or less tinged with brownish; sometimes a conspicuous abdominal patch of dark rusty, the exposed surface of the wings tinged with light yellowish-brown, and very finely and almost imperceptibly mottled. Head and throat without markings, light grayish-plumbeous; throat tinged with yellowish-brown. Feathers of neck, upper part of back, and under parts generally, except on the sides and behind, with a narrow but well-defined margin of blackish, producing the effect of imbricated scales. Feathers on the sides streaked centrally with white. Inner edge of inner tertials, and tips of long feathers of the crest, whitish. Crissum rusty-white, streaked with rusty. Female similar. Length, 9.50; wing, 4.80; tail, 4.10.
Hab. Table-lands of Mexico and valley of Rio Grande of Texas. Most abundant on the high broken table-lands and mesquite plains.