380 



NORTHERN COLIN. 



during the latter season, and to the northern in 

 the former : its flight is very irregular, but rapid. 

 The female deposits from twenty-two to twenty- 

 five eggs, of a whitish colour, and lays twice in a 

 year, the first time in May, the second in July ; 

 the nest is only a few dry herbs, carelessly scraped 

 together : the young remain with the parents, and 

 the second brood unites with the first in the au- 

 tumn. They delight in bushy and woody situa- 

 tions, and generally perch upon trees, contrary to 

 the manners of either Partridges or Quails. Their 

 principal nourishment consists of grains, but when 

 there is a deficiency of them, they will eat buds, 

 and the tender branches and shoots of trees and 

 herbs : towards the winter they grow tame from de- 

 ficiency of food, and flocks of several dozens come 

 into farm -yards for the loose grain, or run before 

 the traveller to pick it from the horse-dung on the 

 road. 



Their note is a loud kind of whistle, somewhat 

 resembling the words ho-oui, the first pronounced 

 long, and the other short: from this note they 

 have received a similar name in Louisiana: and 

 by the natives of New England they are called 

 bob-white. Their flesh is very good, and much 

 esteemed. 



