136 THE CONDOR Vol. XIV In some parts of the state the pasturing of sheep is having a direct inflh- ence on the quail: Belding, in his "Birds of the Pacific District," written in 1890, speaks of the valley quail as follows: "Rather rare at Red Bluff where much of the country is used for. pasturing sheep. Formerly very aboundant in the Marysville Buttes but now rare for the same reason. Not only do sheep destroy nests by treading on them, but they prevent the growth of cover, and this timid bird deserts her nest where there is the least cause for so doing." The pasturing of cattle is doubtless a menace to quail in many parts of the state also. . A certain number of quail are claimed each year by predatory mammals and birds. The wildcat, .coyote, fox, and skunk are probably the worst of- fenders among the mammals, and the Cooper, sharp-shinned, and duck hawks, the worst among the predatory birds. The blue jays, the roadrunner, and the gopher snake are reputed to destroy eggs and young. Under natural conditions these predatory mammals and birds were far more numerous than they are at present so that they cannot be considered a very serious factor in the crease. It seems reasonable to believe that the slaughter of these mammals and birds has kept up with the destruction of the quail so that there is certainly no larger a toll now than formerly. In fact, there is probably a less toll taken by pre- dacious mammals and birds at the present. (?uail appear to be little subject to disease. As far as can be ascertained there is no reference in literature to an epidemic appearing among California valley quail. Certain parasites are not uncommon in these birds, however. Mr. Joseph Mailliard gives his experience with parasites in valley quail in the following words: "In Marin County and, if my memory is correct, in San Benito County also, these birds are frequently found with what appear to be small tapeworms, or with numbers Of round, rather blunt worms about half an inch long closely resembling those sometimes found in domestic poultry. Besides I have often found a group of exceedingly small parasites of a bright vermillion color, suggesting fungoid growth, around the vent, but have never examined these with a microscope." Chas. S. Thompson has also called at- tention to the fact that he has found tapeworms in quail. He says: "At least .one-third had tapeworms two and one-haif to four inches long in the intestines." The presence of such intestinal parasites is not as a rule very detrimental to the health of the animal, practically all mammals and birds and even man being attacked to a greater or less degree. In 1906-7 large numbers of bobwhite quail kept in captivity died with what was called quail disease, a disease singularly like the grouse disease of England. At that time post-mortem examination showed the presence of quail disease in the common bobwhite, the California quail, the Gambel quail, the scaled quail, the mountain quail, and the sharp-tailed grouse. The promi- nent symptoms were first dullness,,and then emaciation. Only birds kept in confinement were found infected. Bobwhite quail kept in captivity have been found infected with coccidiosis, a disease which sometimes attacks poultry. This .disease seems to be a common one among birds, for it has been found in grouse, pheasants, pigeons, and is quite a common disease among domestic fowls, especially turkeys here in Cali- fornia. The Committee on Grouse Disease in England, in an elaborate report this past year, shows that one of the diseases which has destroyed such large numbers of grouse in England and Scotland is coccidiosis. Another disease
