RUFFED GROUSE; PARTRIDGE 95 



houses further from the woods. Thus it seems in severe 

 winters the quails venture out of the woods and join the 

 poultry of the farmer's yard, if it be near the edge of 

 the wood. It is remarkable that this bird, which thus 

 half domesticates itself, should not be found wholly 

 domesticated before this. 



[>S'ee also under' General and Miscellaneous, pp. 414, 

 431.] 



RUFFED GROUSE; PARTRIDGE 



1850. The fire stopped within a few inches of a par- 

 tridge's nest to-day, June 4th, whom we took off in our 

 hands and found thirteen creamy-colored eggs. I started 

 up a woodcock when I went to a rill to drink, at the 

 westernmost angle of R. W. E.'s ^ wood-lot. 



June 13, 1851. I heard partridges drumming to-night 

 as late as 9 o'clock. What singularly space penetrating 

 and filling sound ! Why am I never nearer to its source ? 



July 16, 1851. Some thoughtless and cruel sports- 

 man has killed twenty-two young partridges not much 

 bigger than robins, against the laws of Massachusetts 

 and humanity. 



Sept. 23, 1851. The partridge and the rabbit, — they 

 still are sure to thrive like true natives of the soil, what- 

 ever revolutions occur. If the forest is cut off, many 

 bushes spring up which afford them concealment, and 

 they become more numerous than ever. 



Dec. 21, 1851. Who ever saw a partridge soar over 

 the fields? To every creature its own nature. They are 

 very wild ; but are they scarce ? or can you exterminate 

 them for that ? 



^ [Ralph Waldo Emerson's.] 



