December 1891.] 



AND OOLOGIST. 



179 



still in tlie swim, as lie is publishing Fibre and 

 Fabric, the best trade journal in the country, 

 and is to be found at his desk every day, the 

 same as ever. His years set lightly upon his 

 head in spite of the snows of winter, which are 

 whitening its locks. His interest in nature 

 has never lessened, and he is often a visitor at 

 our oflice. 



Our next visitor is Jeri>me Trmnbly, who 

 took a set of five Rose-breasted Grosbeak, May 

 13. 187.'^, at Suramertield, Jlicli. The data 

 blank is a page of a book in itself, it is so com- 

 plete. Trombly is at Petersburg, Mich., and 

 continues his connection with the family. 

 When he sees this the wrinkles will gather 

 around his mouth, and he will think over many 

 pleasant memories of the past. 



.lohn N'. Clark, .Saybrook, Conn., next claims I 

 our attention with a beautiful set of Cliicka- j 

 dees taken May 21. ISSO, eleven years ago, and ! 

 friend Clark is still as deep in tlie swim as 

 ever. 



Even as we write. Mr. Wade draws near our [ 

 desk, and on being told of the work in hand 

 says, " Tell friend Clark that the matter con- 

 cerning the Osprey of I'lum Island and adja- 

 cent shores, is still alive and in my hands, and ' 

 will appear in due time." .Mr. Clark furnished 

 a chapter in the history of this bird. 



I have two or three sets taken by Delos 

 Hatch, Oak Villa, Wis., but I cannot find 

 them now. His name is as often on my pen 

 as any of my friends and expect to have it con- 

 tinue, as he is one of our regulars; and so the 

 story might go on. 



Thus do a flood of reminiscences sweep over 

 the mind, oftentimes without other provoca- 

 tion than the sig'it of a single object, which 

 arouses memories, and these, in turn, bring up 

 otheis. till the brain wearies of its wanderings 

 and comes back to the practical affairs once 

 more. But can we say that it is not good to 

 tlius live over our boyhood days and again 

 gritu yttviiig by the asstx-iation? 



Frdiil,- A. liatf.i. 



Habits of the California Partridge 

 ( Callipepla californica ). 



No liird is better known to the inhabitants 

 of California than the California Partridge, 

 (in where vou mav, in the vallevs or on the 



foot-hills, and you will hear his welcome call. 

 Usually a flue old male will be seen on guard, 

 perched upon a dead stub, rock, or on an 

 elevation so that he can view his immediate 

 surroundings, and should an enemy approach 

 he gives a signal of alarm and disappears with 

 the flock that have been feeding below. They 

 utter a series of clucking notes and run quickly 

 away and hide in the brush. You hunt for 

 them and will find yourself in their midst 

 before they fly; then they scatter in all direc- 

 tions. By remaining quiet for a short time you 

 will hear the males begin to call and the 

 whole flock will again get together. 



The flesh of the California Partridge is 

 excellent eating, no less than 100,000 being 

 annually sold in the San Francisco market. 

 They are much sought after by hunters near 

 the towns and cities. They become very wild 

 and fly <iuite a distance at sighting the si>orts- 

 man. 



Early in spring they pair off, and when the 

 nesting season begins the not-long-ago wild 

 birds change their habits and become tame. 

 They are now protected by law, and are but 

 little molested by man. They even come to 

 your door-yards on the outskirts of the city to 

 build their nests, and can be seen abundant all 

 along the country roads. 



The nest is usually made in a tuft of grass, 

 or where it is well concealed by growing vege- 

 tation, and the old bird will not leave it until 

 you are within a step of her. 



The young are very pretty but hard to 

 secure. They are very active, and in the 

 "rass it is almost impossible to And them. 



One who is unfamiliar with hunting the 

 California Partridge, and who is not an expert 

 wing shot, often gets disappointed in the 

 number of birds that he bags. When there is 

 no brush near at hand they will fly into a live 

 oak tree and, although you saw fifty or per- 

 haps a hundred birds fly to the tree and you 

 are within thirty yai-ds of them, you cannot 

 see a single bird, yet they are all there hidden 

 amoniT the thickest branches aud leaves, and 

 you will be greatly surprised when they fly 

 that you did not see them before. The old 

 birds thrive and bectmie very tame in confine- 

 ment. They have been introduced into Eng- 

 land and are said to be doing finely. 



Their food consists chiefly of seeds; they 

 also eat insects and grain. Farmers complain 

 of them little, and many will not allow them 

 to be shot on their premises, but to the grape 

 inower they are said to be a pest in a few 

 localities. Clarl- P. Streator. 



