234 NOTES ON NEW ENGLAND BIRDS 



are also nearly two inches apart. I see where the bird 

 alighted, descending with an impetus and breaking 

 through the slight crust, planting its feet side by 

 side. 



How different this partridge-track, with its slight 

 hind toe, open and wide-spread toes on each side, both 

 feet forming one straight line, exactly thus : — 



(Five inches from centre to centre.) The middle toe 

 alternately curved to the right and to the left, and what 

 is apparently the outer toe in each case shorter than 

 the inner one. 



Jan. 31, 1856. But what track is this, just under 

 the bank? 



<i 



\ 



^ i 



It must be a bird, which at last struck the snow with 

 its wings and took to flight. There were but four hops 

 in all, and then it ended as above, though there was 

 nothing near enough for it to hop upon from the snow. 

 The form of the foot was somewhat like that of a 

 squirrel, though only the outline was distinguished. 

 The foot was about two inches long, and it was about 

 two inches from outside of one foot to outside of the 

 other. Sixteen inches from hop to hop, the rest in 

 proportion. Looking narrowly, I saw where one wing 

 struck the bank ten feet ahead, thus : '==^, as it passed. 



