grous. 233 



and a half. Bill black, close to the nostrils a white spot; between 

 them covered with short, downy, black, feathers ; those of the crown 

 longer than the rest; chin and throat black, surrounded with black 

 and white ; over the eyes a bare, carunculated space ; top of the head, 

 round the middle of the neck, and all the hind part, the back, and 

 tail, barred black and ash-colour, the bars numerous ; wing coverts 

 the same, but the cinereous bars incline to brown ; quills dusky, the 

 third, fourth, fifth, and sixth, edged outwardly with white ; tail as 

 the quills, all the feathers tipped with rufous ; the lower part of the 

 neck, and middle of the breast black ; sides of the breast and belly 

 mottled, and undulated black and white; sides, under the wings, 

 black and ash-colour; vent dirty white ; under tail coverts black and 

 white ; legs feathered to the toes, cinereous, and dusky white ; toes 

 brown, much pectinated. 



The female is smaller; length under twelve inches ; all the upper 

 parts crossed with rufous, blackish, and grey brown, forming patches 

 on the back ; fore part and sides of the neck rufous, with blackish 

 bands near the end of each feather; breast crossed rufous and blackish 

 alternate, the feathers tipped with dirty rufous white ; belly and 

 under tail coverts barred blackish and rufous white ; the sides with 

 rufous and grey, and tipped dirty white ; quills as in the male ; tail 

 barred rufous and black ; legs feathered, and toes pectinated as in 

 the male. 



These inhabit Hudson's Bay, at all seasons, and are called Wood, 

 or Spruce Partridges ; as in winter they feed on the cones of the 

 latter, and juniper berries; when killed, the natives preserve them 

 through the winter, by exposing them to the frost, suspended by the 

 bill, and during the whole of the inclement season, they will keep 

 sweet ; when wanted, they are laid in water, to thaw them before 

 dressing ; are at all times thought good food, but most so in the 

 summer, as they then feed on berries. They are very stupid birds, 

 may be knocked down with a stick, and frequently are caught by 



VOL. VIII. H H 



