172 FRANK Schley's partridge and pheasant shooting, 



the oviduct were almost invariabl}' pure white in color. In 

 one instance an e<ijg- taken from the oviduct of a female, 

 June 5, that had previously deposited eight eggs the same 

 season, was covered with coloring matter or marking so 

 solt as to adhere to the fingers when touched. After the 

 female has once begun to laj^ Mr. Mac Farlanc observed 

 that she deposits one egg each day until the whole num- 

 ber has been reached. This varies from eight to ten. 



The males were always observed in the immediate vi- 

 cinity of the nest, and began to assume their summer 

 moult about the Gth of June, most of their necks at that 

 time being already of a reddish-brown color. The nests 

 were alwaj'S on the ground, and were mere depressions 

 lined with a fe%v soft materials, generally leaves, occasion- 

 all}" mingled Avith feathers, hay, etc., the feathers often 

 being their own. The same nest was often made use of in 

 successive seasons. Eggs wei-e found as late as the 24th 

 of June, and the female is su])posed to sit about three 

 weeks before hatching. Occasionally eggs were found 

 dropped on the bare ground without any signs of a nest. 

 Jn one instance the egg was pure white, like one taken 

 from the oviduct. It was found lying on the bare ground, 

 without the least appearance of a nest in the vicinit}'. 



In one instance where a nest was met with, on the banks 

 of Swan I\iver, by Mr. Mac Farlane's party, en rovte, the 

 female was almost trodden under loot belbre she fluttered 

 oflf', when she at once turned about to face her enemies, 

 spreading her wings and ruffling her feathers as if to at- 

 tack or IVighten them away. In another case a nest con- 

 taining only one fresh egg, in which the female had hut 

 just begun to deposit, was found as late as .June 25th. 

 Otlier eggs found June 27th, contained very large emijryos. 

 Another nest, examined a fortnight later, (July 10), had in 

 it ten pei'fectly fresh eggs. Mr. Mac Farlane inferred that 

 this nest had been robbed at an earl}' period of the season. 

 This time she apjiarently made no attempt at another 

 laying. In several instances where both birds Avere pres- 

 ent near a nest that Avas talcen. the male bird would make 



