Concord, Mass.
1910
May 30
(No 2)
[May 30, 1910]

Colony of breeding Partridges.

among thick bushes, under a clump of ferns was another nest,
also with 11 eggs. These looked bright and fresh but it is now
over two weeks since he found them. The bird was not seen at this
time (ie when he showed them to me) nor was my bird seen.
But a half hour later I found my bird on the nest (as she
was yesterday afternoon). I did not go to Harry's nest a second
time to-day as the light was poor then & I feared I could
not see her without disturbing her as the spot is very densely
shaded. Harry visited
the nest again after I started for the
Farm. As the bird was not there he
examined the eggs closely & found that
every one had hatched - no doubt several days ago,
This accounts for the brood of young on the hill.
The dim light account [accounts] for our thinking the eggs incubated.
  In all my life I have never before found nor heard of
two nests of the Partridge anything like so near together. Then,
too, there was the hen with the brood of young. Although
apparently several days old they must have been hatched in
the immediate neighborhood of Ball's Hill (Harry saw a brood on
the 26th May in Pine Park about 200 yards from where I met
with those to-day). To add to the mystery it is several
years since I have heard a cock partridge drum anywhere
in the Ball's Hill region (on April 2, 1910 Gilbert heard one
on the south side of the hill not far from the cabins but
he heard it only a few times, all the same morning). I
have repeatedly seen an old cock there, however. He 
must be an odd bird if he can manage to attract to
himself & to keep three wives without ever giving them
a serenade. And if there be more than one cock it is
doubly strange that I have heard no drumming especially as
I have been living at the hill a large part of the past
spring. Taking it all together I am sorely puzzled to
understand the matter at all. It certainly looks as if
the two hens which still have eggs must belong to a single
cock however the case may be with the hen which has
young.