THE PARTRIDGE. 157 



caution which they possess ; that is, the dread they have of leaving 

 a trail behind them by which they could be traced or scented <>ut 

 by some one of their numerous enemies during the night, and sud- 

 denly pounced upon either by the prowling fox, raccoon, polecat, 

 or any other nocturnal animal common to the districts of country 

 which they frequent. To prevent this trail being left behind them, 

 which would necessarily be the case if they ran to roost, they very 

 cunningly take a short flight to an adjoining field, and settle down 

 for the night immediately about the spot where they alight. By 

 this device they entirely free themselves of the treacherous trail 

 which otherwise would follow them to their unprotected retreat 



SNOW. 



If it should snow, the birds keep close huddled together under 

 some brushwood, in the deep sedge, or in the corners of what are 

 called snake or worm-fences. They never go about during a snow- 

 storm, and consequently are often covered completely up by a deep 

 fall, and find great difficulty in freeing themselves from their cheer- 

 less prison when the tempest has abated. When the weather 

 threatens to be severe and the snow very deep, in the interior of 

 the Atlantic States, partridges betake themselves to the neighbor- 

 hood of the sea-shore, where it is usually milder, and the snow but 

 seldom lies over a day or two. There is also generally a great 

 abundance of thick sedge in such localities, in the depths of which 

 they find shelter and plenty of food. In the autumn of 1845 we 

 met with great numbers of partridges in the sedge on the sea-shore, 

 and witnessed some excellent shooting by a companion, a memo- 

 randum of which we published at the time in the Spirit, and now 

 avail ourselves of this opportunity to transfer it to these pages. 



PARTRIDGE SHOOTING IN DELAWARE. 



BIRDS 



Friday, Nov. 28 Fair, but blowing a gale; bagged 42 



Saturday, Nov. 29 Good day, but over the same ground 33 



Tuesday, Dec. 2 Blowing a stiff breeze, and over the same ground, with 



little variation 35 



Total 110 



Or, within a fraction of 37 birds per diem. 



