mee fe

O et (LO —

» fol Ixxvi.—lb. Orn. Bio., vol. i. p. 388.

Viroinian Partridge, Aud. Birds of Am., vol. 1

8 . 8 ,
Ortyx Mexicana, Less. Traité d’Orn., p. 507. :
Co nen American Partridge, Aud. Birds of Ami, @vO. vole v2 ps o:

1, Nutt. Me i. p. 647.

American Partridge or Quail, Nutt. Man., vol. 1. p. ¢ : - .
( ‘ oS sae Y ; . R Onc ; i oi - :
Viroiniana, G. R. Gray, List of Gen. of Birds, TI

oO

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Cas

Ortya

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OA Ae eee ee eo

\ 2 ‘ : .
Tu E range f this w W spe S t S ; y : 5 t thr 3M
{ th ‘ hole of he nl ed States to Mexico. I have also seen specimens from Jan alca and some other
ou © Wy the U t ) )
I i (eles 1k c c c been in roduc d 5 and
VV 1 1 5 j y TeV c lant st ates ha it has e
of he larger est Indian islands, into Ww hich, how ever, I nna c t i S { :

various attempts to naturalize it in this country have also been made ; but for the want of sufficient pro-
eer ;

;

tection, and a larger number of birds being turned out at : time, oy cannot, as yet, be said to aa been
successful: were these experiments, however, persevered in, oe is no cone they would: ultimately
be crowned with success. Mr. Vigors stated at the first scientific meshing of the Zoological Society held
in November 1830, that it had bred, and even become naturalized, in a : but I am not aware whether
the bird is still to be found there, or whether, for the want of proper protection, it has become extirpated.
“This species,” says Mr. Audubon, in his ‘ Birds of America,’ ‘ performs cceastonal migrations from
north-west to south-east usually at the beginning of October. For a few weeks, at this season, the north-
western shores of the Ohio are covered with flocks, which ramble through the woods along the margin of
the stream, and generally fly across towards evening: the flight is rapid, and genarally performed at a
short distance from the ground. When chased by dogs, or started by any other enemy, it flies to the middle
branches of trees of ordinary size, along which it runs with ease, and where it remains until danger is over.
The usual cry is a clear whistle composed of three notes ; the first and last nearly equal in length ; the latter
less loud than the first, but more so than the intermediate one. It has, moreover, a love-call, which is
louder and clearer than its other notes, and can be heard at the distance of several hundred yards : it con-
sists of three distinct notes, the last two being loudest, and is peculiar to the male. The three together
resemble the words.4h Bob White. The first note is a kind of aspiration, and the last is very loud and clear.
This whistle is seldom heard after the breeding-season, during which an imitation of the peculiar note of
the female will make the male fly towards the sportsman, who may then easily shoot it. In the middle
districts the love-call of the male is heard about the middle of April, and in Louisiana much earlier. The
male is then seen perched on a fence stake, or on the low branch of a tree, standing nearly in the same
position for hours together and calling at intervals of a few

minutes. Several males may be heard from
different parts of a field challenging each other ;

and should they meet on the ground, they fight with great
courage and obstinacy, until the conqueror drives off his antagonist to another field.
“The female prepares a nest composed of grasses, ar

ranged in a circular form, leaving an entrance not
unlike that of a common oven. It is placed at the foot of a tuft of rank grass or some close stalks of corn,
and is partly sunk in the ground. The eggs are from ten to eighteen in number, rather pointed at the
The male at times assists in hatching them.
one brood in the year, unless the ege

smaller end, and of a pure white. This species raises only

8 or the young while yet small have been destroyed. Should this
happen, the female immediately pre

pares another nest ; and should that also be ravaged, sometimes even a

t] ir E hvac ne < > oft - ; f I : 1

nd The young run about the moment after they make their appearance, and follow their parents until
spring, when, having acquired their full beauty,

they pair and breed.

cay jo 1 Gl er £
At night this species rests on the ground, either amongst the grass or

duals that compose the flock for
nearly in contact.

under a bent log. The indivi-
ards approach each other until their bodies are
whole covey to take wing when suddenly alarmed, each
ring with the rest.

ommon dead-falls, traps

m a ring, and moving backw
This arrangement enables the
flying off in a direct course without interfe
ee ;
: ut is easily caught in snares, ¢ and pens; many are shot, but the principal havoc
is effected by means of nets.
litre ordinary food consists of
ground, along with which the
have nearly attained the
extremely agreeal

seeds of various kinds
y pick

ir full size, tl
sle to the palate
Habitat, North Amer
The Plate represe

, and such berries as grow near the surface of the
Up a quantity of sand or gravel. Towards autumn, when the young
reir flesh becomes fat, Juicy and tender, and being moreover white and
» 1S in much request,”
ica and Mexico.
nts a male, a female

, and a brood of young birds, of the natural size.

Ss NS SLD

a