40 PARTRIDGE. 



by long hard winters, and deep snows. At such times the arts 

 of man combine with the inclemency of the season for their 

 destruction. To the ravages of the gun are added others of a 

 more insidious kind. Traps are placed on almost every planta- 

 tion, in such places as they are known to frequent. These are 

 formed of lath, or thinly split sticks, somewhat in the shape of 

 an obtuse cone, laced together with cord, having a small hole 

 at top, with a sliding lid, to take out the game by. This is 

 supported by the common figure 4 trigger, and grain is scat- 

 tered below, and leading to the place. By this contrivance ten 

 or fifteen have sometimes been taken at a time. These are 

 sometimes brought alive to market, and occasionally bought up 

 by sportsmen, who, if the season be very severe, sometimes 

 preserve and feed them till spring, when they are humanely 

 turned out to their native fields again, to be put to death, at 

 some future time, secundem artem. Between the months of 

 August and March, great numbers of these birds are brought to 

 the market of Philadelphia, where they are sold from twelve 

 to eighteen cents a-piece. 



The Quail begins to build early in May. The nest is made 

 on the ground, usually at the bottom of a thick tuft of grass that 

 shelters and conceals it. The materials are leaves and fine dry 

 grass, in considerable quantity. It is well covered above, and an 

 opening left on one side for entrance. The female lays from fif- 

 teen to twenty-four eggs, of a pure white without any spots. 

 The time of incubation has been stated to me by various per- 

 sons at four weeks, when the eggs were placed under the 

 domestic hen. The young leave the nest as soon as they are 

 freed from the shell, and are conducted about in search of food 

 by the female; are guided by her voice, which at that time 

 resembles the twittering of young chickens, and sheltered by 

 her wings, in the same manner as those of the domestic fowl; 

 but with all that secrecy and precaution for their safety, which 

 their helplessness and greater danger require. In this situation 

 should the little timid family be unexpectedly surprised, the 

 utmost alarm and consternation instantly prevail. The mother 



