40 
PARTRIDGE. 
by long hard winters, and deep snows. At such times the arts 
of man combine with the inclemency of the season for their 
destruction. To the ravages of the gun are added others of a 
more insidious kind. Traps are placed on almost every planta- 
tion, in such places as they are known to frequent. These are 
formed of lath, or thinly split sticks, somewhat in the shape of 
an obtuse cone, laced together with cord, having a small hole 
at top, with a sliding lid, to take out the game by. This is 
supported by the common figure 4 trigger, and grain is scat- 
tered below, and leading to the place. By this contrivance ten 
or fifteen have sometimes been taken at a time. These are 
sometimes brought alive to market, and occasionally bought up 
by sportsmen, who, if the season be very severe, sometimes 
preserve and feed them till spring, when they are humanely 
turned out to their native fields again, to be put to death, at 
some future time, secundem artem. Between the months of 
August and March, great numbers of these birds are brought to 
the market of Philadelphia, where they are sold from twelve 
to eighteen cents a-piece. 
The Quail begins to build early in May. The nest is made 
on the ground, usually at the bottom of a thick tuft of grass that 
shelters and conceals it. The materials are leaves and fine dry 
grass, in considerable quantity. It is well covered above, and an 
opening left on one side for entrance. The female lays from fif- 
teen to twenty-four eggs, of a pure white without any spots. 
The time of incubation has been stated to me by various per- 
sons at four weeks, when the eggs were placed under the 
domestic hen. The young leave the nest as soon as they are 
freed from the shell, and are conducted about in search of food 
by the female; are guided by her voice, which at that time 
resembles the twittering of young chickens, and sheltered by 
her wings, in the same manner as those of the domestic fowl; 
but with all that secrecy and precaution for their safety, which 
their helplessness and greater danger require. In this situation 
should the little timid family be unexpectedly surprised, the 
utmost alarm and consternation instantly prevail. The mother 
