THE COMMON AMERICAN PARTRIDGE. 63 



in South Carolina, it breeds twice in the year, first in May, and again in 

 September. The following is an account of some attempts to domesticate 

 this bird made by my friend Dr. Bachman: — 



"Several years ago I made an attempt to domesticate the Virginian 

 Partridge, and, contrary to the usually received opinion, I was quite 

 successful. The eggs had been obtained from the fields, and were hatched 

 under a Bantam hen. By confining the young with their foster-mother for 

 a few days, they soon learned to follow her like young chickens. They 

 were fed for a couple of weeks on curds, but soon began to eat cracked 

 Indian corn, and several kinds of millet. They were permitted to stray at 

 large in my garden; but fearing that they might be induced to fly over the 

 enclosure and stray away, I amputated a joint of the wing. There was no 

 difficulty in preserving them during the summer and winter, and they 

 became so very gentle 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 season 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 advanced, 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 purpose. The 

 eggs were all impregnated, and on being placed under a hen were hatched. 

 A variety of engagements interrupted my attending to them afterwards, and 

 by some accident I was prevented from pursuing 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 instances all the eggs in the nest were hatched. They were much 

 attached to their young, sheltered them under their wings, and endeavoured 

 to protect them from the persecution of other birds confined in the aviary. 



