THE POULTRY KIND. 1() 



tirc-ly forsake her, and keep in great harmony to- 

 gether till the beginning of spring. At this sea- 

 son they begin, for the first time, to feel the genial 

 access; and then adieu to all their former friend- 

 ships! They begin to consider each other as 

 rivals ; and the rage of concupiscence quite ex- 

 tinguishes the spirit of society. They fight each 

 other like game-cocks ; and at that time are so 

 inattentive to their own safety, that it often hap- 

 pens that two or three of them are killed at a 

 shot. It is probable, that in these contests the 

 bird which comes off victorious takes possession 

 of the female seraglio, as it is certain they have 

 no faithful attachments.* 



CHAPTER X. 



OF THE PARTRIDGE, AND ITS VARIETIES. 



THE partridge may be particularly considered as 

 belonging to the sportsman. It is a bird which 

 even our laws have taken under protection, and, 

 like a peacock or a hen, may be ranked as a pri- 

 vate property. The only difference now is, that 

 we feed one in our farms, the other in our yards ; 

 that these are contented captives, those servants 

 that have it in their power to change their master, 

 by changing their habitation. 



* This account of the Cock of the Wood is taken from the Journal 

 fEconomiquc, and may be relied on. 



