68 FRANK SCHLEY'S PARTRIDGE AND PHEASANT SHOOTING. 



BOOSTING. 



3HE Partridges always roost on the ground. Their 

 favorite roosting places are the stubble fields and 

 swamps where the ground is low, and the tall grass 

 and rag-weed most plentiful. They roost on the out- 

 skirts of thicket and wood, in grass patches and in clear- 

 ings, sheltered in the like manner, but as often on high 

 ground sparingly covered as otherwise. When roosting 

 they arrange themselves in a circle with their bodies closely 

 pressed against each other, their tails forming the interior 

 of the circle, their heads the exterior. In arranging them- 

 selves in this manner, it adds greatly to their comfort in 

 extreme winter, also to 'their safety, as they present an 

 outlook on every side against their enemies, and if they 

 are disturbed in the night they can all fly straight off with- 

 out interfering with each other. When undisturbed and 

 the weather proves favorable, they frequently resort to 

 the same spot, or close by to roost, for a number of nights. 

 When going to roost it is not uncommon for them about 

 dusk to take a short flight to an adjoining field, swamp, 

 clearing, or the like, and settle down and roost immedi- 

 ately about the spot where they strike the ground. This 

 adds greatly to their protection during the night, for they 

 leave no trail behind, as they would when going on foot, 

 for their enemies to follow or scent them to their roost- 

 ing places. When the day is fine and clear they leave 

 their roost at a very early hour; if rough and cold they 

 frequently remain on their roosting places until the day is 

 farther advanced. When leaving their roost in the morn- 

 ing, the whole covey travels off in search of food, or takes 

 a short flight to some regular feeding ground. 



