312 
PERDIX VIRGINIAXA. 
lay occasionally in eacli other’s nests. Though I have 
never myself seen a case of this kind, I do not think W 
altogether im])robahle, from the fact, that they have 
often been known to drop their eggs in the nest of the 
common hen, when that happened to be in the tields> 
or at a small distance from the house. The two 
partridges above mentioned were rai.sed in this manner? 
and it was particularly remarked by the lady n ho e-ave 
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, h.-rs sometimes been 
employed to hatch the eggs of the common domestic 
hen. A friend of mine, who himself made the experi- 
ment, informs me, tliat, of several hen’s eggs which h® 
substituted in place of those of the partridge, .she brought 
out the whole ; and that, for several weeks, he occasion- 
ally surprised her, in various parts of the plantation; 
with her brood of chickens ; on which occa.sions she 
exhibited all that distressful alarm, and practised her 
usual manoeuvres for their preservation, liven after 
they were considerably grown, and larger than the 
partridge herselt^ she continued to lead them about? 
but, though their notes or call were those <»f common 
chickens, tlicir manners had all tlie shyness, tiraiditV; 
and alarm of young partridges ; running with great 
rapidity, and squatting- in the grass exactly in th« 
manner of the partridge. Soon after this, they disap- 
peared, having probably been destroyed by dogs, by the 
gun, or by bird.s of prey. Wliether the (lomestic fowl 
might not by this method be very soon brought back 
to its origiii.ll savage state, and thereby supply another 
additional subject for the amusement of the sportsman; 
will scarcely athnit of a doubt. Hut the experiment, in 
order to secure its success, would require, to be made 
in a quarter of the country le.ss exposed than ours to 
the ravages of guns, traps, dogs, and the deeji snows of 
winter, that the new tribe might have full time to 
become completely naturalized, and well fixed in all 
their native habits. 
