986 The Zoologist— November, 1867. 



Landrail. — Frequently met with, and I believe them to be very 

 abundant this season. 



Wagtail. — Both pied and white wagtails frequently observed flock- 

 ing together, particularly towards nightfall. 



Partridge. — Some of the late broods are remarkably small ; a par- 

 tridge shot on the 16lh of September weighed but eight ounces, and 

 another was seen still more diminutive. Owing to the cold and late 

 spring, the thermometer little above the freezing point during the 

 first three weeks of March, the pairing and breeding must have been 

 greatly retarded and impeded, though the Rev. F. O. Morris, in his 

 letter to the ' Times ' of the 23rd of September, says, " I think 

 the severe weather we had in the winter and in May had nothing 

 whatever to do with the present scarcity of partridges, for I never 

 saw a .partridge that appeared to suffer from the hard weather." 

 But I think him mistaken ; for instance, in a previous communication 

 (S. S. 740), I have remarked, "Though a strong and hardy bird, the 

 severe winter is beginning to tell on them ; and they now feed chiefly, 

 if not wholly, on the grass and turnip-leaves that are still above the 

 snow. The gizzard of one contained but a small quantity of coarse 

 grass." This partridge, and others shot while the snow was on the 

 ground, was in poor condition, and I cannot but think the severe 

 weather the cause. That a snow-storm tames the partridge, as well as 

 most other birds, the poulterer's shops and stalls but too clearly prove : 

 besides, who has not seen coveys huddled together on the snow, and 

 not taking wing till one is close upon them, presenting a sure and 

 ready mark to those who pursue them on these occasions ; and doubt- 

 less some fall victims to birds of prey. Others, there is reason to 

 believe, are so weakened as not to pair readily, or pairing fail in fecund- 

 ity, as is the case with animals when out of condition ; and the number 

 of old birds met with this season, though by no means "the prepond- 

 erating slock," leads me to think they may not have been in a 

 condition to breed. The comparative tameuess of the partridge in 

 September, so that " he may be almost trod on in the early and hot 

 part of the season," is owing not so much to the heat of the weather 

 as to its weakness of wing, and being as yet little disturbed or molested. 

 That " he should rise at sight of you a couple of hundred yards off," 

 late in the season, is natural enough, for being then strong on the wing 

 and wary he gets out of harm's way, unless frost and snow deprive him 

 of the power of doing so. Unlike the partridge — i.e. ruffed grouse — 

 of Canada, he has not the faculty of burrowing beneath the snow in 



