NORTHERN OCEAN. 
repeats the operation as often as he pleafes, or 
as long as the birds are in good humour. By 
this fimple contrivance I have known upwards of 
three hundred partridges caught in one morning 
by three perfons; and a much greater number 
might have been procured had it been thought 
neceflary. Early in the morning, juft at break 
of day, and early in the afternoon, is the beft time 
for this fport. It is common to get from thirty 
to feventy at one hawl; and in the Winter of 
one thoufand feven hundred and eighty-fix, Mr. 
Prince, then Mafter of a floop at Churchill River, 
actually caught two hundred and four at two 
hawls. They are by no means equally plentiful 
every year; for in fome Winters I have known 
them fo fcarce, that it was impoffible to catch 
any in nets, and all that could be procured with 
the gun would hardly afford one day’s allowance 
per week to the men during the feafon; but in 
the Winter one thoufand feven hundred and 
eighty-five, they were fo plentiful near Churchill, 
and {uch numbers were brought to the Factory, 
that | gave upward of two thoufand tothe hogs. 
In the latter end of March, or the beginning of 
April, thofe birds begin to change, from white to 
their beautiful Summer plumage, and the firft 
brown feathers make their appearance on the 
neck*, and by degrees fpread over the whole bo- 
; Ee dy ; 
* Mr. Dragge obferves, in his North Weft Paflage, that when the par- 
tridges begin to change colour, the firft brown feathers appear in the rump; 
but 
