PARTRIDGE. 281 



Florida ; and was seen in the neighborhood of the Great Osage village, 

 in the interior of Louisiana. They are numerous in Kentucky and 

 Ohio ; Mr. Pennant remarks that they have been lately introduced into 

 the island of Jamaica, where they appear to thrive greatly, breeding 

 in that warm climate twice in the year. Captain Henderson mentions 

 them as being plenty near the Balize, at the Bay of Honduras. They 

 rarely frequent the forest, and are most numerous in the vicinity of 

 well cultivated plantations, where grain is in plenty. They, however, 

 occasionally seek shelter in the woods, perching on the branches, or 

 secreting among the brush wood ; but are found most usually in open 

 fields, or along fences sheltered by thickets of briars. Where they are 

 not too much persecuted by the sportsmen, they become almost half 

 domesticated ; approach the barn, particularly in winter, and sometimes 

 in that severe season mix. with the poultry, to glean up a subsistence. 

 They remain with us the whole year, and often suffer extremely by long 

 hard winters, and deep snows. At such times the arts of man combine 

 with the inclemency of the season for their destruction. To the ravages 

 of the gun are added others of a more insidious kind. Traps are placed 

 on almost every plantation, in such places as they are known to 

 frequent. These are formed of lath, or thinly split sticks, somewhat in 

 the shape of an obtuse cone, laced together with cord, having a small 

 hole at top, with a sliding lid, to take out the game by. This is sup- 

 ported by the common figure 4 trigger, and grain is scattered below, 

 and leading to the place. By this contrivance ten or fifteen have some- 

 times been taken at a time. These are sometimes brought alive to 

 market, and occasionally bought up by sportsmen, who, if the season 

 be very severe, sometimes preserve and feed them till spring, when they 

 are humanely turned out to their native fields again, to be put to death, 

 at some future time, seeundem artem. Between the months of August 

 and March, great numbers of these birds are brought to the market of 

 Philadelphia, where they are sold from twelve to eighteen cents apiece. 

 The Quail begins to build early in May. The nest is made on the 

 ground, usually at the bottom of a thick tuft of grass that shelters and 

 conceals it. The materials are leaves and fine dry grass, in consider- 

 able quantity. It is well covered above, and an opening left on one 

 side for entrance. The female lays from fifteen to twenty-four eggs, 

 of a pure white without any spots. The time of incubation has been 

 stated to me by various persons at four weeks, when the eggs were 

 placed undfer the domestic hen. The young leave the nest as soon as 

 they are freed from the shell, and are conducted about in search of food 

 by the female ; are guided by her voice, which at that time resembles 

 the twittering of young chickens, and sheltered by her wings, in the 

 same manner as those of the domestic fowl ; but with all that secrecy 

 and precaution for their safety, which their helplessness and greater 



