294 PARTRIDGES. 



parts of Europe, they have beautiful varieties, the red-legged, 

 Barbary Partridges, &c. ; and in America, there are again 

 other sorts, peculiar to the New World. We shall give Cap- 

 tain Head's lively description of two varieties, the larch and 

 spruce Partridges, which he met with in his expedition into 

 the interior, near Lake Huron. 



" Early in the Spring," he says, " they make their appear- 

 ance in the pine woods, welcomed by the solitary back- settlers, 

 not only as harbingers of returning warmth, but as an agree- 

 able addition to their stock of provisions, and a source of 

 amusement. At first when the snow still covers the ground, 

 they are easily tracked, though by no means easily discovered 

 in the trees, on which these two species invariably perch. 

 They run for a considerable distance from their pursuers, 

 before they rise, turning backwards and forwards, and round 

 and round, twisting about the trees in such a manner as to 

 make it difficult to follow up the footmarks, and but for the 

 assistance of dogs familiar with the sport, the keenest eye is 

 often foiled." Captain Head thus describes his first meeting 

 with one of these birds : 



" The snow in the woods was crisp from the night's frost, 

 and the sun was just rising in a clear sky, when the marks of 

 game attracted my notice, and my spaniel at the same time 

 evinced the most eager interest and curiosity in the pursuit, 

 quartering the ground from right to left. After walking about 

 half an hour, he suddenly quested, and on going up to him I 

 found him at the edge of a swamp, among a clump of white 

 cedar-trees, to one of which he had evidently tracked some 

 description of bird ; for he was looking steadfastly up into 

 the tree, and barking with the utmost eagerness. I looked 

 attentively, but nothing whatever could I discover. I walked 

 round the tree, and round again ; then observed the dog, whose 

 eyes were evidently directly fixed upon the object itself; and 

 still was I disappointed in perceiving nothing. In the mean 

 time, the dog, working himself up to a pitch of impatience 

 and violence, tore with his paws the trunk of the tree, and bit 

 the rotten sticks and bark, jumping and springing up at 

 intervals towards the game : and five minutes had at least 



