AMERICAN GAME. 25 



equal our zoologists in England. Thus they generally 

 and locally adhere to the first names given by the first 

 Englishmen, Irishmen, or Scotsmen who landed on their 

 shores, to the birds they first saw doing duty for birds of 

 similar habits and size to those in the old countries from 

 which they came. 



The wood grouse in America is called " the phea 

 sant ; " the grouse of the plains " a chicken ; " and the 

 bird a little larger than the English migrating quail " the 

 quail," though that bird is to all intents and purposes the 

 American partridge. All these birds I brought home in 

 conjunction with the woodcock of America, which is not 

 only of a different shade of plumage, but also less in size 

 than ours. There is another bird of the grouse species 

 which I did not meet with alive, larger than any of the 

 rest, called the " sage hen," and every one of these I am 

 perfectly satisfied could be acclimatised in this country. 

 Indeed acclimatising they would not need ; the gold and 

 silver pheasants show that it is not the peculiarity of clime 

 nor gorgeous feather that makes the rule ; the food is the 

 great difficulty. I have convinced myself that the food 

 in England and the nature of the ground is precisely 

 that which would suit the grouse and the partridge of 

 the plains and woods of the United States. 



To return to the method of life in America. The 

 table tfhote for breakfast usually commences at six in the 

 morning and terminates at ten, and that for dinner from 

 one in the day till five in the afternoon. Between whiles 

 there is a most liberal tea and supper, so those who have 

 the appetite and digestion of an ostrich can continue 

 mastication all day long. 



In many of the towns and cities the merchants dine at 

 two o'clock, when, as many of their private houses are 



