THE VIRGINIA PARTRIDGE. 395 



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 ^s 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-four trigger, and grain is scattered below and 

 leading to the place. By this contrivance, ten or fifteen have some- 

 times been taken at a time. 



" The Partridge 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 

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

 The time of incubation has been stated to me, by various persons, 

 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 precau- 

 tion for their safety which their helplessness and greater danger 

 require. In this situation, should the little timid family be unex- 

 pectedly surprised, the utmost alarm and consternation instantly 

 prevail. The mother throws herself in the path, fluttering along, 

 and beating the ground with her wings, as if sorely wounded; 

 using every artifice she is mistress of to entice the passenger in pur- 

 suit of herself; uttering, at the same time, certain peculiar notes of 

 alarm, well understood by the young, who dive separately amongst 

 the grass, and secrete themselves till the danger is over : and the 

 parent, having decoyed the pursuer to a safe distance, returns, by a 

 circuitous route, to collect and lead them off. This well-known 

 manoeuvre, which nine times in ten is successful, is honorable 

 to the feelings and judgment of the bird, but a severe satire on 

 man. The affectionate mother, as if sensible of the avaricious 

 cruelty of his nature, tempts him with a larger prize, to save her 



