VIRGINIAN PARTRIDGE. 565 



that they were in the habit of following me through the house, and 

 often seated themselves for hours on the table at which I was writing, 

 occasionally playfully picking at my hand, and running off with my pen. 

 At night they nestled in a coop placed for that purpose in the garden. 

 The cats in the neighbourhood, unfortunately for my experiment, took 

 a fancy to my birds, and carried off several, so that at the breeding sea- 

 son my stock was reduced to two females, with a greater number of 

 males. The latter now commenced their not unmusical notes of " bob- 

 white," at first low, but increasing in loudness and energy till they 

 were heard through the whole neighbourhood. These notes were 

 precisely similar to those of the wild birds, affording a proof that they 

 were natural and not acquired by an association with those of their 

 own species, as these birds had no opportunity of hearing any other 

 notes than those of the poultry on the premises. As the spring ad- 

 vanced, the males became very pugnacious, and continual contests 

 took place among themselves, as well as with the Pigeons, and the 

 young poultry that occasionally intruded on their domicile. In May 

 they commenced laying, both in one nest, in a box placed for the pur- 

 pose. The eggs were all impregnated, and on being placed under a 

 hen were hatched. A variety of engagements interrupted my attend- 

 ing to them afterwards, and by some accident I was prevented from pur- 

 suing my experiment farther. My friend Dr Wilson, however, was 

 still more successful than I had been. He placed in his aviary several 

 birds of this species that had been caught in a trap in an adult state. 

 These, in the following spring, sought out secluded nooks overhung by 

 branches of shrubbery, where they built their nests, and laid their eggs. 

 The males and females both sat upon them by turns, and in some in- 

 stances all the eggs in the nest were hatched. They were much at- 

 tached to their young, sheltered them under their wings, and endea- 

 voured to protect them from the persecution of other birds confined in 

 the aviary. Owing, however, to the small space in which they were 

 confined, none of the young were finally raised. These experiments, 

 however, as far as they went, convinced us that this species may be 

 easily domesticated, and that if they are preserved from being molested 

 by cats and other enemies, they may be kept in enclosures and multi- 

 plied to a considerable extent." 



The eggs measiire an inch and a quarter in length, seven and a half 

 eighths in breadth, and taper to a small rounded point. 



