IBS 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 
Now should you be tempted to make a shot in the lat- 
ter case, there is some excuse for you; but in the two 
former, should you destroy the parent birds, you 
deserve to be severely censured, and a repetition of this 
act ought to be branded with disgrace. 
It is not uncommon during the month of October to see 
immense coveys of partridges, consisting of several dis- 
tinct broods, which is evidenced by their difference of 
size; this occurs more particularly when their period of 
partial migration arrives. The writer has often sprung 
coveys of this description, which, on a moderate calcula- 
tion, contained from one hundred to one hundred and fifty 
birds; some matured, others half grown, and again those 
scarcely able to soar above the stubble; and this large num- 
ber, no doubt, was caused by the junction of several com- 
munities, during their migratory movements, and while 
led by the parent birds; later in the season this seldom 
occurs, and when it is the case, it is always from the ac- 
cidental meeting of two or more coveys. In November, 
and until the division of the parties into pairs again in the 
spring, it is rare to meet with a single covey containing 
over thirty birds, and the average number may generally 
be placed at twenty. 
The shooting season for partridges should not com- 
mence before November; formerly, in some places, it was 
established, by law and custom, on the 1st of September, 
and afterwards altered to October. But, if sportsmen 
would control their eagerness one month later, and not 
commence until the 1st of November, the birds would be 
full grown, and the shooting more pleasant, in consequence 
of this circumstance, and of the denuded state of the trees 
and other shrubbery. The shooting season then would 
consist of three months, November, December, and Janu- 
ary, which should suffice. No bird is fit to eat out of 
season, and the partridge is not good food until that pe- 
riod when its food consists of grain. During the summer 
and early fall months, this bird will feed on insects with 
as much avidity as those which are not granivorous, but 
this is more of necessity than choice, as insects are then 
in abundance, and grass seeds and grain scarce, being un- 
ripe and not within their reach; but so soon as frosts appear, 
insects are destroyed, seed are ripened and cast to the 
ground, and the partridge finds food more suitable to its 
nature, and its flesh becomes firm and of good flavour. Most 
carnivorous animals are rejected as unfit for food, and the 
partridge out of season is of this description, consequently 
the shooting season should be regulated accordingly. You 
should not hunt when the ground is covered with snow; 
this generally is the signal for all true sportsmen to give 
up partridge shooting for that season; the birds then, in- 
stead of being persecuted by you, should receive protec- 
tion from your hands against their other enemies; these 
you know are hawks of all kinds, and vermin, such as 
foxes, minks, weasels and skunks. The farmers’ boys, 
also, are the most formidable at this time, by trapping 
numbers, and bringing them to market; of these you should 
always purchase a portion, and sustain them through the 
winter, so that you may release them again in the coming 
spring. 
In preserving partridges through the winter, permit me 
to remark, that several things are requisite which are not 
always observed, even by those who pretend to sustain 
quantities of these birds; and for want of these precautions 
we sometimes see out of a number of cage birds, many, 
perhaps more than half, become sick and die. To 
prevent this, you should in the first place provide a room 
with a southern exposure, (into which the sun will shine) 
sufficiently large for them to run about and get exercise, 
for you must recollect, the chief exercise of the partridge 
when at liberty is on foot; in this room you should put 
some sand and gravel mixed, not a handful or shovel full, 
but a wheelbarrow load; this will not be too much; this 
article is used by the partridge both internally and exter- 
nally; internally to assist the mechanical operations of its 
gizzard, and externally, for the same purposes which 
we use water, namely, to cleanse ourselves from im- 
purity; what would be the consequences to us were we 
deprived of ablution from water? should we not be cover- 
ed with filth and vermin, and these generate disease, 
and death of course would certainly follow? The 
partridge, therefore, as well as all birds of the gallina- 
ceous order, wallow in the dirt to cleanse their bodies 
and preserve them from vermin;* and it hence follows, 
that if this natural supply is withheld, the consequences 
to these interesting birds will be the same as to us if we 
were deprived of the use of water. I am thus particular, 
in order to show the necessity of placing a larger quantity 
of sand and gravel within their reach than is usually done, 
so that they may be enabled to wallow deeply into it. The 
room should also be in a situation where the birds cannot 
be disturbed, for this frets and frightens them, and will 
prevent their feeding; you should feed them but once a 
day, and then just before sunset, and with food sufficient 
for two meals, consisting of the following varieties, wheat, 
rye, broken corn, buckwheat, and stale bread; a little 
water should of course be placed in the room in some shal- 
low vessel, which should be replenished by means of a 
* The writer has often observed, that when a sick partridge was con- 
fined with others which were well, the latter would frequently search 
the plumage of the former for vermin, with much industry and appa- 
rent commiseration, while the sickly bird would evidence by its pas- 
siveness, much relief from the kind offices of its friend. 
