GROUSE, PARTRIDGES 201 



coverts ; above chestnut buff, deeper on occiput ; below pale buff. Wing 

 6.90 to 7.70 ; bill from nostril 0.55. 



Geog. Dist. — From Massachusetts, northern New York, New Hampshire 

 Vermont, Maine, and the British Provinces west to Oregon, Washington, and 

 British Columbia, north to James Bay. 



County Dist. — Androscoggin; common resident, (Call). Aroostook; 

 common resident locally, (Knight). Cumberland; common resident, (Mead). 

 Franklin ; common resident, (Lee & McLain). Hancock ; common resident 

 both inland and on many of the wooded islands, (Knight). Kennebec; 

 common resident, (Powers). Knox; resident, (Rackliff). Oxford; breeds, 

 common, (Nash). Penobscot; common resident, (Knight). Piscataquis; 

 common resident, (Homer). Sagadahoc; nests, (Spinney). Somerset; 

 common, (Morrell). Waldo; common resident, (Knight). Washington; 

 common, (Boardman). York; would be common if sportsmen would let 

 them alone, (Adams). 



The Partridge is still a common resident species throughout 

 the State and can be found in almost any considerable patch 

 of rather open mixed or hardwood growth. In early spring the 

 drumming call of the male bird always quickens my pulse 



and the " t h u m p, t h u m p, 



t h u m — p, t-h-u-m-p, thump, thump, thump- 



r-r-r-r-r-r-r-" seems like a call of Nature to hasten to the 

 woods to seek the early flowers. 



Who of my readers have ever seen a " drummer.?" Not one 

 in twenty of those who have heard one I'll warrant. The male 

 birds usually each have its favorite drumming log, one often 

 used by the family if not indeed by the same individual bird 

 for years in some cases. 



Never shall I forget the time when in early spring while 

 gathering the fragrant Arbutus, a fallen log on which my 

 gaze chanced to fall suddenly betook life on itself for from its 

 more remote side there lightly hopped onto it a fine large cock 

 Partridge. He preened himself lightly for a short time and 

 then suddenly spread his tail into a fan, raised the feathers of 

 his crown into a top knot, spread his wings partly out and 

 slightly drooping, his ruffs seemed to stand out fully spread 

 and somewhat raised from the body, and in the full vigor of 

 his sex he proudly strutted up and down the log, uttering 



