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over thirty or forty rods without alighting, and in conversation they 

 have illustrated their remarks by stating that they had seen it, when 

 attempting to cross a stream not over half a mile wide, fall in and 

 perish. Such occurrences may have taken place when families 

 were about changing their location. The younger birds becoming 

 tired, have induced the older ones to alight with them, and not be- 

 ing able to arise from the water, nor having sufficient strength to 

 swim to the shore, have perished. In autumn, after the crops are 

 gathered, it gets in fine condition from feeding on the scattered 

 seeds ; its flight is then strong and swift, and at this season it re- 

 quires an active gunner to shoot it. I think I can say with certain- 

 ty, that I have seen it move off at least one mile without halting, 

 judging from the ground I went over before putting it up ag^in. — 

 The gun is not the only means used for its destruction ; traps and 

 snares of various kinds are set all over the Island, by persons who 

 are eager to profit by the ready sale of these resident birds. Its 

 flesh is white, tender, and rather dry, and in general highly es- 

 teemed, though as game it is quite inferior to the Woodcock or Wil- 

 son's Snipe. In severe winters it suffers by deep snows, and at such 

 times it becomes quite tame, approaches the barn, and shares with 

 the poultry. A few years since, a bevy of sixteen was in daily at- 

 tendance at the farm at which I was staying. They were fed with 

 corn and wheat, of which they are fond, as well as buckwheat, ber- 

 ries, and insects. In a fcAv days they became very familiar, walked 

 into the barn, and ran about the floor to pick up the refuse grain. 

 After having made their repast, they went to roost on the snow, at 

 a short distance from where they were fed, with apparently as little 

 timidity as the domestic fowls. When roosting, they adopted the 

 form of a ring, with their heads out, and lying thus in a close body, 

 received the mutual warmth of each other. The eggs of the Par- 

 tridge have been frequently hatched by the domestic hen ; the birds 

 have remained with her during the first season, but on the return 

 of spring, obeyed their native instinct and took to the fields — al- 

 though it is the opinion of naturalists, that with proper care they 

 could be domesticated. With sportsmen, the Partridge is proverbial 

 for lying close ; incidents occurring when it has suffered itself to 

 be caught by the dog. 



