228 QUAIL, OR PARTRIDGE. 



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 secundum artem. Between the 

 months of August and March, great numbers of these birds 

 are brought to the market of Philadelphia, where they are 

 sold at 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 considerable 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 under 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 clanger 

 require. In this situation, should the little timid family be 

 unexpectedly surprised, the utmost alarm and consternation 

 instantly prevail. The mother throws herself in the path, 



placing it, so that his companions can easily drive the partridges into 

 it. No sooner is the machine ready, than the net-bearer remounts and 

 rejoins the party. The sportsmen separate to a short distance, and fol- 

 low the partridges, talking, whistling, clapping their hands, or knocking 

 the fence-rails. The birds move with great gentleness, following each 

 other, and are kept in the right direction by the sportsmen. The lead- 

 ing bird approaches and enters the mouth of the net — the others follow 

 in succession, when the net-bearer leaps from his horse, runs up and 

 secures the entrance, and soon despatches the birds. In this manner 

 fifteen or twenty partridges are caught at one driving, and sometimes 

 many hundreds in the course of the day." — Ed. 



