294 
PARTRIDGES. 
parts of Europe, they have beautiful varieties, — the red-legged, 
Barbary Partridges, &c. ; and in America, there are again 
other sorts, peculiar to the New World. We shall give Cap- 
tain Head’s lively description of two varieties, the larch and 
spruce Partridges, which he met with in his expedition into 
the interior, near Lake Huron. 
“ Early in the Spring,” he says, “ they make their appear- 
ance in the pine woods, welcomed by the solitary hack- settlers, 
not only as harbingers of returning warmth, hut as an agree- 
able addition to their stock of provisions, and a source of 
amusement. At first when the snow still covers the ground, 
they are easily tracked, though by no means easily discovered 
in the trees, on which these two species invariably perch. 
They run for a considerable distance from their pursuers, 
before they rise, turning backwards and forwards, and round 
and round, twisting about the trees in such a manner as to 
make it difficult to follow up the footmarks, and hut for the 
assistance of dogs familiar with the sport, the keenest eye is 
often foiled.” Captain Head thus describes his first meeting 
with one of these birds : — 
“ The snow in the woods was crisp from the night’s frost, 
and the sun was just rising in a clear sky, when the marks of 
game attracted my notice, and my spaniel at the same time 
evinced the most eager interest and curiosity in the pursuit, 
quartering the ground from right to left. After walking about 
half an hour, he suddenly quested, and on going up to him I 
found him at the edge of a swamp, among a clump of white 
cedar-trees, to one of which he had evidently tracked some 
description of bird; for he was looking steadfastly up into 
the tree, and barking with the utmost eagerness. I looked 
attentively, but nothing whatever could I discover. I walked 
round the tree, and round again ; then observed the dog, whose 
eyes were evidently directly fixed upon the object itself ; and 
still was I disappointed in perceiving nothing. In the mean 
time, the dog, working himself up to a pitch of impatience 
and violence, tore with his paws the trunk of the tree, and bit 
the rotten sticks and bark, jumping and springing up at 
intervals towards the game : and five minutes had at least 
