August 



the bird strongly resembles that name, which is 

 commonly uttered twice. As one hears this 

 masculine name called again and again, with 

 no response, he would infer that it is uttered by 

 the female, and that ' ' Bob ' ' is very indiffer- 

 ent and ill-mannered to make no reply. But 

 it should be remembered that in the feathered 

 world loquacity is the characteristic of the male, 

 and not of the female, so that these loud ring- 

 ing notes from the pasture will be rightfully 

 attributed to him rather than to her. 



The color of the bird is so complicated as to 

 be difficult of exact description ; but the im- 

 pression at a distance is that of a reddish- 

 brown ; the head of the male with black and 

 white trimmings which the female modestly 

 foregoes. Its length is about that of the robin, 

 but with a succulent, meaty build that makes it 

 appear larger. Wherever it resorts it is per- 

 manent almost the year round, being said to 

 retire toward the sea-shore for two or three 

 weeks in the fall, after which it returns to its 

 original haunts. 



Wilson gives an interesting account of the 

 stratagem of the partridge when, as she leads 

 about her family, becoming aware of danger, 

 she uses " every artifice she is mistress of to 



247 



