A Partridge Don Quixote 



331 



If a hand were extended toward him, Billy would peck it also and, most 

 extraordinary of all, he would permit himself to be picked up and freely handled, 

 perching on finger, wrist, or shoulder. When on the latter he was invariably 

 prompted to investigate one's eyes and nose with his sharp beak ! 



As the sport proceeded it began to occur to us that what had at first ap- 

 peared to be combativeness was apparently, after all, only a vigorous form of 

 playfulness. Although the bird gave his best exhibitions under Mr. Armstrong's 

 direction, he was by no means partial and would respond to advances by any 

 of us. The thrill of having a wild Partridge hop upon one's hand can be appre- 

 ciated only by those who have had the experience. Once when I raised him 

 on my hand he had been 'boxing' so strenuously that he was panting, with his 

 mouth wide open, but his brown eyes snapped and twinkled, his crest was 

 raised to its limit and his tail outspread — evidences of a keenness to go at it 

 again on the slightest provocation. Curiously, his ruff was never raised, 

 except when he first came out of the woods to meet us. When held on the hand, 

 not more than a dozen inches from one's face, he could be heard to utter a soft, 

 craking sound, his only vocal effort. 



When on the ground and not engaged in a 'bout' with one of us, he would 

 walk nervously about, plucking at grasses beside the road, but never eating 

 anything. At other times he stood motionless looking up at the ring of admirers, 

 seemingly awaiting an aggressive movement on the part of one of them. 

 Throughout our stay of over half an hour the tractor motor was left running, 



A GROUSE ON THE SHOULDER 



