Chap. XII] RtrRAL Sports. «|| 



atarlings; of which the reader will remember a remark- 

 able instance in the history of the migration of those 

 grumbling vagabonds, the Jews, soon after their march 

 from HoREB, when the quails came and settled upon 

 each other's backs to a height of two cubits, and co- . 

 vered a superficial space of two days' journey in dia- 

 meter. It is a well known fact, that quails /?oc^ ; it 

 is also well known, that partridges do not, but that they 

 keep in distinct families, which we call coveys from 

 the French couvte, which means the eggs or brood 

 which the hen covers at one time. The American par- 

 tridges live in coveys. The cock and his pair in the 

 spring. They have their brood by sitting alternately 

 on the eggs, just as the English partridges do ; the 

 young ones, if none are killed, or die, remain with the 

 old ones till spring ; the covey always live within a 

 small distance of the same spot ; if frightened into a 

 state of separation, they call to each other and re-assem- 

 ble ; they roost altogether in a round ring, as close as 

 they can sit, the tails inward and the heads outward; 

 and are in short, in all their manners, precisely the 

 same as the English partridge, with this exception, 

 that they will sometimes alight on a rail or a bough, 

 and that, when the hen sits, the cock, perched at a 

 little distance, makes a sort of periodical whistle, in a 

 monotonous, but very soft and sweet tone. 



381. The size of the pheasant is about the half of 

 that of the English. The plumage is by no means so 

 beautiful; but, the flesh it far more delicate. The 

 size of the partridge bears about the same proportion. 

 But its plumage is more beautiful than that of the 

 English, and its flesh is more delicate. Both are de- 

 lightful, though rather difficult, shooting. The phea- 

 sant does not tower, but darts through the trees ; and' 

 the partridge does not rise boldly, out darts away at 

 no great height from the ground. Some years they 

 are more abundant than other years. This is an 

 abundant year. The-e are, perhaps, fifty coveys 

 iirithin half a mile of my house. 



882. The wood-'cocks are, in all respects, like those 

 in England, except that they are only about three- 

 fiiibs of the size. They breed here -, and are in such 



