THE PARTRIDGE. 129 



widely different is all this from the habits of our bird ! And still 

 further dissimilarity, no doubt, might be remarked if the subject 

 had been properly considered by those more conversant from 

 actual observation with the point of contention than we pretend 

 to be. 



The quail may also be termed, in some respects, a nocturnal 

 bird, and in this particular also differs from the partridge. The 

 migrations of the quail, as before stated, are almost entirely per- 

 formed during the hours of darkness, and, by way of compen- 

 sating nature for this loss of repose during the hours allotted to 

 it, most generally sleeps in the middle of the day, which time is 

 always occupied by the partridge in scratching and pruning his 

 plumage. This being the case, we trust the American sportsman 

 hereafter will give our partridge its proper appellation and rank, 

 and no longer confound it with the quail, a bird far inferior 

 whether in the field or on the table. 



Although the ancient Athenians eagerly sought after and even 

 reared quails for the purpose of employing them in combat with 

 each other, they were not esteemed as an article of food, but, on 

 the other hand, were erroneously considered unwholesome, from the 

 circumstance of their feeding on hellebore. This vulgar notion, 

 as many others of like character, is now entirely exploded. 



RUNNING SEASON. 



At the commencement of autumn, the partridges of America 

 abandon the high grounds, and resort, in immense numbers, to the 

 large river-courses, where they remain for a few weeks, and then 

 travel back to their former haunts. At this period the birds are 

 said to be running or travelling, and will not lie to a dog ; and to 

 pursue them is lost time, as it will be found utterly impossible to 

 keep up with them, no matter with what speed you attempt it. In 

 the fall of 1845, we, in company with a brother sportsman, en- 

 countered an immense drove of these running birds in the neigh- 

 borhood of Elk River. When first discovered, they appeared to 

 be holding a conference as to the proposed route they should take, 



