24 



PARTRIDGE 



the fact, that they have often been known to drop then- eggs in the 

 nest of the common hen, when that happened to be in the fields, ot 

 at a small distance from the house. The two Partridges above- 

 mentioned were raised in this manner; and it was particularly re- 

 marked by the lady who gave me the information, that the hen sat 

 for several days after her own eggs were hatched, until the young 

 Quails made their appearance* 



The Partridge, on her part, has sometimes been employed to 

 hatch the eggs of the common domestic hen. A friend of mine, 

 who himself made the experiment, informs me, that of several 

 hen's eggs which he substituted in place of those of the Partridge, 

 she brought out the whole; and that for several weeks he occa- 

 sionally surprized her in various parts of the plantation with her 

 brood of chickens; on which occasions she exhibited all that dis- 

 tressful alarm, and practised her usual manoeuvres for their pre- 

 servation. Even after they were considerably grown^ and largel' 

 than the Partridge herself, she continued to lead them about; but 

 tho their notes, or call, were those of common chickens, their man- 

 ners had all the shyness, timidity and alarm of young Partridges; 

 running with great rapidity, and squatting in the grass exactly in 

 the manner of the Partridge. Soon after this they disappeared, 

 having probably been destroyed by dogs, by the gun, or by birds 

 of prey. Whether the domestic fowl might not by this method 

 be very soon brought back to its original savage state, and there- 

 by supply another additional subject for the amusement of the 

 sportsman, will scarcely admit of a doubt. But the experiment, 

 in order to secure its success, would require to be made in a quar- 

 ter of the country less exposed than ours to the ravages of guns, 

 traps, dogs, and the deep snows of winter, that the new tribe might 

 have full time to become completely naturalized, and well fixed in 

 all their native habits. 



About the beginning of September, the Quails being now 

 nearly full grown, and associated in flocks, or coveys, of from four 



