1902
April 11
(no. 3)
him for several minutes. He evidently saw me
for he seemed ill at ease & for some time kept
up the peculiar low growling sound which Partridges
make when disturbed or suspicious. Presently 
he began walking away from me keeping in the
middle of the path & following the water's edge
closely. He carried his tail raised and
frequently twitched his expand ruffs in an abrupt
nervous manner suggesting irritation. After growling 
for half a minute or more he called quet, quet
a number of times and then began making
the chittering or snicering sound which so closely
resembles that of the Red Squirrel. At length
he left the path and began making his way
up the steep hillside. I now increased my
pace and he at once did the same until
he finally made a short, quick, gliding
run & then took flight. While in the
path his gait was a rather slow and
highly dignified walk. Altogether I had
him in view for fully three minutes. The
Ball's Hill Partridges are so accustomed to
our presence & so fully assured that we 
mean them no harm that we often see them
on the ground but it seldom that I have
as prolonged a view of one as I enjoyed
on this occasion.
  I have heard very few Hylas of late & more 
peeped today. The Toads have not begun
trilling as yet.
53.