PARTRIDGE. 
Then it is, as Mr. Cheney says, ‘‘ he drops into the for- 
lornest of attitudes, looking as if he would never move 
again.” 
In winter the Partridge finds an abundance of food 
in the northern woods. Partridge berries, wintergreen 
(Gaultheria procumbens), tree buds, and a host of things 
common in the winter woods make up his diversified 
menu, so he does not starve. Nor does he freeze to 
death in the coldest weather, for he burrows under the 
snowdrift and finds in its shelter a comfortable bedroom 
in which to spend the night secure from the prowling 
fox. His feet also are amply protected from the frost 
by a thick growth of stout bristles arranged along the 
toes ; these bristles, like snowshoes, serve to bear him up 
in walking over the snow. The growth begins in Octo- 
ber, but by the first of April it has entirely vanished. 
The Partridge acts very much like the Quail when he 
is flushed: suddenly there is a buzz and a whirr almost 
at one’s feet and a frightened bird rises with violent 
haste, uttering hysterical notes of alarm, and flies off 
horizontally into the depths of the forest, leaving the 
intruder with nerves so badly shaken that his aim is 
spoiled and -his gun useless. I quite unexpectedly 
came upon a hen bird with her chicks one summer’s 
day, and the commotion that ensued was out of all 
proportion with the occasion ; there was a tremendous 
rumpus among the dried leaves as the little chicks scat- 
tered, and the distracted mother promptly lost her wits 
in the endeavor to leave the spot in several directions 
at once. There were whistles, and chirps, and clucks 
pitched in a high key at all points of the compass, then 
I added a few plaintive chirps of my own as an experi- 
ment; back came the mother in reckless panic, with 
every individual feather on end, and to my amazement 
flew at my legs in a maddened fury! I had quite a 
lively time for a few seconds, and then, when her pur- 
pose of checking me was accomplished, she flew abruptly 
away, probably saying to herself—for she still vocifer- 
ated loudly—-‘*‘ Thank goodness! I made that old goose 
concentrate his attention on me, and the children are 
safe!” 
9 
