280 



THE PARTKIPGE. 



Their voice is very extraordinary : and they do not often exert it 

 except in the night. Ptarmigans are seldom found in Sweden ; and one 

 of these birds, several years ago, happening to stray within a hundred 

 miles of Stockholm, very much alarmed the common people of the 

 iieiuhl)orhoo«i ; for, from its nightly noise, a report was circulated 

 that the wood, where it had taken up its residence, was haunted by 

 a ghost. So much were the people terrified by this supposed sprite, 

 that, for a considerable time, nothing could tempt the post-boys to 

 ]>a.ss the wood after dark. The spirit, however, was at last removed, 

 by a gamekeeper shooting the bird. 



Ptarmigans form their nests on the ground, in dry ridges ; and lay 

 from six to ten dusky eggs with reddish-brown spots. 



The usual method of catching these birds is by nets made of twine 

 twenty feet square, connected to four p^les, and propped with sticks 

 in front. A long line is fastened to these, the end of which is held 

 by a person who lies concealed at a distance. Several people drive 

 liie birds within reach of the net; whicli is then pulled down, and is 

 often found to cover fifty or sixty of them. Ptarmigans are in such 

 plenty in the northern parts of America, that upwards of ten thousand 

 Bre f^oquently caught for the use of the Hudson's Bay Seitlemer.t, be- 

 tween November and May. 



The Laplanders catch these birds by means of a hedge formed with 

 the branches of birch-trees, and having small openings, at certain 

 intervals, with a snare in each. The birds are tempted to feed on the 

 buds and catkins of the birch ; and whenever they endeavor to pass 

 through the openings, they are instantly caught. 



They are excellent food ; and in taste are so like the common 

 grouse, as to be scarcely distinguishable from it. 



THE PARTKIDGE. 



The extremes of heat and cold are alike unflivorable to the pro- 

 pagation of the 

 Partridge. This 

 bird also flour- 

 ishes best in cul- 

 ti'-^ted countries 

 ' mg principal- 

 / on the labors 

 of the husband- 

 man. In SwedeL 

 Partridges bur- 

 rc;w beneath the 

 snow ; and the 

 whole covey 

 crowd together 

 under this shel- 

 t e r, to guard 

 against the ia 



PARTaiDQE:^ 



