THE PARTRIDGE. 133 



other ordinary partridges, we might, perhaps, very naturally aave 

 supposed it to belong to another variety; but, all the circum- 

 stances taken into consideration, we must regard it only as one of 

 those lusis natures that we occasionally meet with in every branch 

 of animated creation. 



In the specimen before us, the bill is black ; line over the eye 

 and down the back jet-black, with an occasional grayish-white 

 spot ; whole chin ashy-white, mottled with black, extending slightly 

 over the throat, which is jetty, interspersed with a few reddish- 

 brown spots; upper part of the breast exhibits a few pure white 

 feathers; the lower portion dark-cinnamon or red-brown, fringed 

 with black ; sides of the neck reddish-brown ; in fact, the balance 

 of the plumage, save the admixture of black and cineritious tints, 

 may be set down as reddish-brown, or rather dark-cinnamon color ; 

 legs of same hue ; the irides hazel. 



This very peculiar bird was killed in Pennsylvania, a short dis- 

 tance from Philadelphia ; and, what is somewhat remarkable, there 

 were others of similar plumage in the covey from which this one 

 was secured. We went in quest of these birds with Mr. Stockton, 

 on a subsequent occasion, but were unsuccessful in our search.* 



THE IMPORTANCE OP STUDYING THE NATURAL HISTORY OF GAME- 

 BIRDS. 



We have already devoted much space perhaps too much to the 

 natural history, habits,- and peculiarities of the partridge, but, we 

 trust, not without benefit to our readers, as no one can expect to 

 become an accomplished sportsman without studying very closely 

 the individual characteristics of every species of game that he pur- 



* This remarkable bird is perhaps more worthy of being represented perched 

 upon a tree, than the white one referred to by an English author, who states that 

 one of this character, being shot, was sent to a Mr. Pugh, a good artist, but no 

 sportsman, who, to make the delineation, as he thought, the more effective, first 

 painted a large oak, and then very artistically placed the white partridge on one 

 of the branches. When told that these birds always sat on the ground, he naively 

 replied, "That might be; but it looked so much the more picturesque to have a 

 landscape in the background that he would not alter it ; for an extraordinary bird 

 ought to have an extraordinary situation : it exalted him above his fellows." 



