1903.
May 6
(No 3)
  Hitherto I have supposed that Partridges "bud" only
in autumn, winter and early spring or, to speak in general
terms, only when the trees are bare of leaves. About seven
o'clock this evening, however, I started a bird from the
apple tree directly in front of the barn, the tree where
I saw nine Partridges budding at once one morning a year ago 
last March. This bird flew from a branch directly 
over my head up and about twenty feet above the ground.
The tree was snowy with blossoms which were all
fully unfolded. If the Partridge was not eating the
blossoms or leaf buds I cannot imagine what it was
doing there. It was long after sunset (about 7 P.M.)
and twilight was falling. Pat tells me that George
Holden found a Partridge's nest containing thirteen
eggs last Saturday (May 2) somewhere in the
woods near Ball's Hill. Two birds were drumming
to-day on the farm.