THE PARTRIDGE. 101 



had eleven dogs (setters and pointers) of approved value. The 

 party concluded to range a field or two before breakfast; but I 

 did not go out with them. I soon heard rapid firing in a new 

 cleared ground in sight of the tavern-house. I hurried to join 

 them. There was a small meadow-land and a little brook inter- 

 vening between us. On the margin of this meadow stood a large 

 pine stump, covered with running-dewberry vines, and surrounded 

 by small oak-shrubs. I was within sixty yards of it, and parallel 

 to it, when two partridges came directly towards me, across the 

 meadow. Having but one barrel charged, I fired upon the nearest 

 bird, and killed it. The other made a sudden dart from its line, 

 and took refuge among the shrubs and briers about the stump. I 

 had my favorite dog and a very valuable pointer-bitch with me. 

 Having recharged, I approached in guard upon the marked bird; 

 but the dogs gave no point. This was the proper time to test my 

 belief; I therefore called off the dogs, and waited till I could have 

 every one on the ground brought to the spot. This was done ; but 

 there was no intimation given that there was a bird near us. We 

 left the ground without remark or explanation, and retired to 

 breakfast. In an hour we took the field for the day. I requested 

 the gentlemen to indulge me again by an advance upon the stump, 

 leading the van myself with the pointer-bitch. She instantly 

 pointed, and the other dogs backed her. The bird was flushed and 

 shot. I now explained myself fully, and Mr. Edward Tilghman, 

 well known to most American sportsmen, was greatly struck with 

 it. He expressed great pleasure too at it, as he said it would save 

 many valuable animals from unmerited censure. He told me, 

 moreover, that he had more than once noticed the same fact with 

 pheasants and grouse. I think it highly probable that these birds 

 are endowed with the same power; but I have not had sufficient 

 experience to speak of them with any certainty. Last week, on 

 one of our steamboats, Colonel S. B. Davis, formerly of the United 

 States army, a great sportsman in his day, asked me, without any 

 previous conversation on the subject, why the best dogs could not 

 sometimes find a single partridge in open ground. The fact was 



