100 lewis's AMERICAN SPORTSMAN. 



in it. On our return home, we crossed the stubble directly past 

 the spot where the partridges had been hunted by the sportsmen. 

 As we approached it, a bird flew up, and soon after another, and 

 another, until five went ofi". I expressed my surprise to Mr. Wilson, 

 who dismissed the matter by supposing that the stronger scent 

 from the feet of so many men had transcended that of the birds 

 and bewildered the dogs. Having been an anxious witness to the 

 whole scene, I was not satisfied with this explanation, but believed 

 the dogs to have been in fault. After the lapse of a few years, I 

 became exceedingly given to field sports, and was in possession of 

 several fine dogs. It often happened that many dogs could not 

 find partridges, even when I had marked them settle and conducted 

 them to it, especially when the cover was of thick and matted 

 grass. In 1821, I obtained a pup of high pedigree, and took the 

 charge of his education upon myself. No animal of his kind ever 

 surpassed him, but even with him I was often unable to flush a 

 scared partridge. I now first admitted the idea that these birds 

 were endued with the occasional power of holding that effluvium 

 which exposed them to their direst enemy. My remarks were 

 general, but tended to strengthen the opinion I had adopted. 

 For instance, I excursed very many times with large parties, 

 where they might be said to be a pack of dogs from their numbers, 

 and most of them approved hunters. Often have I seen, in large 

 clearings, five or six coveys of partridges flushed, amounting pro- 

 bably to a hundred birds, and, although scarcely a brace of them 

 would leave the open grounds, not more than a fifth part of them 

 could be recovered. The sportsmen did not seem to think of their 

 failure, and no one would disparage the truth of the charming 

 Venuses, Junes, Dianas, and Coras, so sedulously engaged for his 

 amusement. After such a field, I have made it a practice to 

 return alone to it after the lapse of sufficient time, and I always 

 found that the birds had not left it, but that, having resumed 

 their natural or usual habits, were easily flushed. In October, 

 1824, I became assured of the truth of my doctrine. I was then, 

 in company with five gentlemen, in a fine partridge country. We 



V 



