THE COMMON AMERICAN PARTRIDGE. 
63 
in South Carolina, it breeds twice in the year, first in May, and again in 
September. The following is an account of some attempts to domesticate 
this bird made by my friend Dr. Bachman : — 
“ Several years ago I made an attempt to domesticate the Virginian 
Partridge, and, contrary to the usually received opinion, I was quite 
successful. The eggs had been obtained from the fields, and were hatched 
under a Bantam hen. By confining the young with their foster-mother for 
a few days, they soon learned to follow her like young chickens. They 
were fed for a couple of weeks on curds, but soon began to eat cracked 
Indian corn, and several kinds of millet. They were permitted to stray at 
large in my garden ; but fearing that they might be induced to fly over the 
enclosure and stray away, I amputated a joint of the wdng. There was no 
difficulty in preserving them during the summer and winter, and they 
became so very gentle that they were in the habit of following me through 
the house, and often seated themselves for hours on the table at which I was 
writing, occasionally playfully picking at my hand, and running off with my 
pen. At night they nestled in a coop placed for that purpose in the garden. 
The cats in the neighbourhood, unfortunately for my experiment, took a 
fancy to my birds, and carried off several, so that at the breeding season my 
stock was reduced to two females, with a greater number of males. The 
latter now commenced their not unmusical notes of ‘ bob white,’ at first low, 
but increasing in loudness and energy till they were heard through the whole 
neighbourhood. These notes were precisely similar to those of the wild 
birds, affording a proof that they were natural and not acquired by an 
association with those of their own species, as these birds had no opportunity 
of hearing any other notes than those of the poultry on the premises. As 
the spring advanced, the males became very pugnacious, and continual 
contests took place among themselves, as well as with the Pigeons, and the 
young poultry that occasionally intruded on their domicile. In May they 
commenced laying, both in one nest, in a box placed for the purpose. The 
eggs were all impregnated, and on being placed under a hen were hatched. 
A variety of engagements interrupted my attending to them afterwards, and 
by some accident I was prevented from pursuing my experiment farther. 
My friend Dr. Wilson, however, was still more successful than I had been. 
He placed in his aviary several birds of this species that had been caught in 
a trap in an adult state. These, in the following spring, sought out secluded 
nooks overhung by branches of shrubbery, where they built their nests, and 
laid their eggs. The males and females both sat upon them by turns, and 
in some instances all the eggs in the nest were hatched. They were much 
attached to their young, sheltered them under their wings, and endeavoured 
to protect them from the persecution of other birds confined in the aviary, 
