SHOOTING IX CHINA. 57 



expectations. The country around here appears at 

 no late date to have been cultivated ; but whether 

 the peaceful tillers of the soil had desisted on 

 account of the neighborhood having obtained a 

 very bad reputation for piracy I know not, but our 

 experience in England tells us how fond these little 

 migratory beauties are of haunts that the plow has 

 ceased to turn up. Next morning our range took us 

 farther inland, the quail still were abundant ; but as 

 we got to the upper ranges, wdiere a dwarf palmetto 

 flourishes, the Cliinese partridge was found. This 

 bird has a very strong resemblance to the black 

 partridge of India in plumage, but exceeds it in 

 size; never is found in coveys, and lies extremely 

 close to a dog. Time after time I have walked up 

 to a point, quartered my ground, or headed my dog ; 

 still no bird was visible ; believing it to be a false 

 alarm, I have been on the point of giving up the 

 search, when whirr, the wily bii-d would rise, and go 

 off like a thunderbolt. In all my experience, I 

 know no other whose flushing makes such a com- 

 motion, or whose flight is so rapid. 



This bird is not very abundant, and is called by 

 the Chinese Cha-coo, doubtless from its note, which 



much resembles these two syllables wdien whistled. 

 3* 



