THE VIRGINIA PARTRIDGE. 395 
times, the arts of man combine with the inclemency of the season 
for their destruction. ‘To the ravages of the gun are added others 
of a more insidious kind; traps are placed on almost every planta- 
tion, in such places as they are known to frequent. These are 
formed of lath, or thinly split sticks, somewhat in the shape of an 
obtuse cone, laced together with cord, having a small hole at top, 
with a sliding lid, to take out the game by. This is supported by 
the common figure-four trigger, and grain is scattered below and 
leading to the place. By this contrivance, ten or fifteen have some- 
times been taken at a time. 
“The Partridge begins to build early in May. The nest is 
made on the ground, usually at the bottom of a thick tuft of grass, 
that shelters and conceals it. The materials are leaves and fine 
dry grass in considerable quantity. It is well covered above, and 
an opening left on one side for entrance. The female lays from 
fifteen to twenty-four eggs, of a pure-white, without any spots. 
The time of incubation has been stated to me, by various persons, 
at four weeks, when the eggs were placed under the domestic Hen. 
The young leave the nest as soon as they are freed from the shell, 
and are conducted about in search of food by the female; are 
guided by her voice, which, at that time, resembles the twittering 
of young chickens, and sheltered by her wings, in the same manner 
as those of the domestic fowl, but with all that secrecy and precau- 
tion for their safety which their helplessness and greater danger 
require. In this situation, should the little timid family be unex- 
pectedly surprised, the utmost alarm and consternation instantly 
prevail. The mother throws herself in the path, fluttering along, 
and beating the ground with her wings, as if sorely wounded ; 
using every artifice she is mistress of to entice the passenger in pur- 
suit of herself; uttering, at the same time, certain peculiar notes of 
alarm, well understood by the young, who dive separately amongst 
the grass, and secrete themselves till the danger is over: and the 
parent, having decoyed the pursuer to a safe distance, returns, by a 
circuitous route, to collect and lead them off. This well-known 
manceuvre, which nine times in ten is successful, is honorable 
to the feelings and judgment of the bird, but a severe satire on 
man. The affectionate mother, as if sensible of the avaricious 
cruelty of his nature, tempts him with a larger prize, to save her 
