WINTER FOOD OF THE PARTRIDGE—SOMERS. 81 
factive changes in the flesh of the bird. These, on the contrary, 
show that the poisonous property is due to an external cause 
which, when present, gives always equal results, but when 
absent there is, as a matter of course, no such results. 
The Partridges were four in number,—three were Birch Part- 
ridges, Bonassa, and one a Spruce Partridge, Tetrao canadensis. 
The crops and gizzards are here before you for examination. 
The crop of the Spruce Partridge contains leaves of Abies bal- 
sumea only, the others contain birch catkins, Betula excelsa, 
broken fern fronds, Aspidiwm spinuloswm, and leaves of Kalina 
angustifolia. Nos. 1 and 3 were shot shortly after feeding, as 
their full crops and empty gizzards testify. No. 3 had the 
gizzard full, and was,.as the specimen shows, in full digestion. 
This was a fine plump bird, and could be easily selected from 
the others after they had been all cooked. I beg to direct your 
particular attention to the gizzard of this bird, the contents of 
which, at this time (five weeks from when it was opened), 
develop freely that odour and taste which we call the Partridge 
flavour. I supposed if there was ever a poisonous Partridge, this 
must be the one. My surmise proved correct, as the sequel 
will show. At dinner I partook of this bird, using the black 
meat and strongly flavored parts, the other members of my 
family, of which three were children respectively two, five and 
ten years of age, partook of the white meat of this and of the 
second birch partridge, none of them experiencing any unpleasant 
sensations therefrom. 
In my own case no results followed partaking of the partridge 
until about an hour afterwards. I had, in the meantime, gone 
out, had attended to some business matters, but while doing so 
became aware that the poison was about to take effect. My first 
feeling was one of fullness in the brain. A well marked sense 
of numbness around the mouth and lips and in the fauces. I 
thereupon returned home, attempted to smoke some tobacco from 
a pipe but this occasioned nausea, and I was forced to desist. 
While standing up to set the pipe aside, I was seized with diz- 
ziness and inability to maintain the erect position, and would have 
fallen on the floor of the room had I not supported myself by 
