on the part of these Birds. We do not know what to attribute it to, and are even at a loss to venture an opinion. If the Birds did not commence running quite so early in the season, we might be disposed to believe that a scarcity of food in their previous haunts impelled them to wander in search of it in other localities, like others of the feathered race; but this can hardly be the motive, as they are found on these excursions so early as October, when the weather is not often sufficiently severe to shut up the usual channels of food, but, on the contrary, is generally such as is most congenial to the habits of the Bird.

FLIGHT OF THE PARTRIDGE.

The Partridge, when full grown, is a very vigorous and powerful Bird, flying with great rapidity, and, like others of the gallinaceous order, when on the wing, makes a loud whirring noise, which often not a little disconcerts the Tyro, who, alarmed at the sudden springing of a large covey, knows not where to turn, or in what direction to point his gun. This startling, but, to the ear of a Sportsman, agreeable sound, is produced by the shortness, concavity, and rapid motion of the wings, as they fly by a succession of quick flaps, and then sail till nearing the ground, when they break their fall by a few more flaps. When Partridges rise on wing of their own free will, the whole covey takes the same course; when disturbed, they all seek safety by separating. When compared with the weight of the body, there are few, if any, game Birds, in any portion of the globe, that fly with the same rapidity or force, and consequently require such quick action on the part of the Sportsman as the Partridge of America. They spring suddenly, and dart off with a celerity and regularity of purpose that appears almost impossible for any Bird to possess, pursuing a rapid and headlong flight through the mazes of our thickest forests and impenetrable coverts; and we hardly suppose that any of our brother Sportsmen ever saw one of these Birds either entangled or otherwise impeded in its progress through the rank and poisonous vines that so often intercept the flight of other less strong and clear-sighted Birds. The American Bird flies with

much more vehemence, and to much greater distances, than the English variety. It is no uncommon thing for Sportsmen to see whole coveys, when wild from frequent flushing, take wing and fly entirely out of sight over the highest of our forest trees. The English Bird is stationary, and has neither the inclination nor strength sufficient for migrating from one portion of the country to another, hundreds of miles apart. The English Bird is longer lived than the American. The average duration of life in the former is said to be seven to ten years; in the latter, three to five.

CHANGE OF PLUMAGE.

A few Partridges, owing to some inexplicable freak of nature, change their plumage, to a pure or mottled white. Many of such singular-looking Birds have been shot in England. Mr. Daniel states that there was a covey of seven Partridges netted at South Cave, four of which were of a most beautiful clear white color, three were pied, and that they were preserved alive for a long time as great curiosities. We have heard of several being shot in the State of Delaware, one of which remarkable Birds is mounted and in the possession of the Author. It is not purely white, but pied, and differs in no other respect from the common Partridge. There is also another handsome specimen in the possession of David Gratz, Esq., which most of our shooting friends, no doubt, have seen. There is also a very handsome specimen in the Academy of Natural Sciences.

There are several specimens of these singular Birds in the English Museum; and Buffon states that ten or twelve Partridges, entirely white, have been seen at once among others of the usual plumage, and that they had the pupils of the eyes red, as common to the White Hare, Rat, Ferret, &c.

What this alteration in the plumage of Birds is to be attributed to we are at a loss to discern, as it has occurred in climates that could not be suspected of exercising any influence towards this change. Such anomalies, however, are not so very rare in the feathered race as we should at first be led to suppose; for it is no very uncommon circumstance to hear of Crows, as well as

Blackbirds, having changed their lustrous jetty plumage for one of snowy white. We have also seen a White Snipe, and a Yellow Reed Bird, both of which will be spoken of under their proper head.

Since the publication of the first edition of our book, we have received at the hands of our friend, the late Mr. H. H. Stockton, who, by the by, was a most zealous and experienced Sportsman, a remarkable, and, no doubt, perfectly unique specimen of the American Partridge. The plumage of this rara avis in terra, is totally different from anything that we have yet seen or heard of. Independent of the color of the plumage, the Bird has every characteristic of the Perdix Virginianus, and, no doubt, is a veritable Partridge, without any admixture of foreign blood, as some of our sporting friends would have us infer. If this Bird had not been shot in the section of country where it was, and in company with other ordinary Partridges, we might, perhaps, very naturally have supposed it to belong to another variety; but, all the circumstances taken into consideration, we must regard it only as one of those lusus naturæ that we occasionally meet with throughout every branch of animated creation.

In the specimen before us, the bill is black; line over the eye and down the neck jet black, with an occasional grayish-white spot; whole chin ashy white, mottled with black, extending slightly over the throat, which is jetty black, interspersed with a few reddish-brown spots; upper part of the breast exhibits a few pure white feathers; the lower portion dark-cinnamon or red-brown, fringed with black; sides of the neck reddish-brown; in fact, the balance of the plumage, save the admixture of black

and cineritious tints, may be set down as reddish-brown, or rather dark-cinnamon color; legs of same hue; the irides hazel.

This very peculiar Bird was killed in Pennsylvania, a short distance from the city, and, what is somewhat remarkable, there were others of similar plumage in the covey from which this one was secured. We went in quest of these Birds with Mr. Stockton, on a subsequent occasion, but were unsuccessful in our search.*

THE IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING THE NATURAL HISTORY OF GAME BIRDS.

We have already devoted much space, perhaps too much, to the natural history, habits, and peculiarities of the Partridge, but, we trust, not without benefit to our readers, as no one can expect to become an accomplished Sportsman without studying very closely the individual characteristics of every species of game that he pursues. For it is by this knowledge, either gained through great labor in the field, or acquired from the writings and associations of those who have devoted the leisure of years to this healthful recreation, that one Shooter is seen to excel another in the style of hunting and bagging his game. Many individuals, from a lack of personal observation on their part, or the want of a suitable preceptor to instruct them in the field, will continue to hunt a lifetime in an awkward or hap-hazard way, without ever bringing into requisition any of those many little manoeuvres and field-stratagems so familiar to the crafty old Sportsman, and which he oftentimes selfishly endeavors to conceal from the knowledge of the rising generation of Shooters, fearing lest his teaching might raise up around him too many youthful aspirants, ever ready to pluck from his

*This remarkable Bird is, perhaps, more worthy of being represented perched upon a tree, than the white one referred to by an English author, who states that one of this character being shot, was sent to a Mr. Pugh, a good Artist, but no Sportsman, who, to make the delineation, as he thought, the more effective, first painted a large oak, and then very artistically placed the White Partridge on one of the branches; when told that these Birds always sat on the ground, he naively replied: "That might be; but, it looked so much the more picturesque to have a landscape in the background, that he would not alter it; for an extraordinary Bird ought to have an extraordinary situation-it exalted him above his fellows."

brow the hard-earned laurels of a long apprenticeship to the tricks of the field. If any of our readers, however, should only aspire to the office of Pot Hunter, we would advise him to put this book aside, as we can assure him that he will not be interested in many of its details, except, perhaps, those portions of it devoted to the Trapping and Netting of game, or the different methods to be pursued by the Shooter when anxious, from some particular circumstance, to make a large count. But, even then, a mind such as this selfish character possesses is often too obtuse to understand or practice the principles laid down for the guidance of a Gentleman Sportsman.

Of all the disagreeable characters that a well-bred Sportsman is likely to be thrown in contact with, that of a Pot Hunter is the most disgusting, the most selfish, the most unmanly, the most heartless; a being who alone can pride himself in a ruthless desire to destroy, and, as it were, to lay waste, all animated nature, by every and any means within his grasp, without regard to etiquette, humanity, law, or even the common decencies of life. Such are the real feelings of a Pot Hunter, in the true sense of the word; and his boasted motto, Fill the bag, and damn the means, should be chalked upon his craven back in well-defined characters, as a warning to all young Sportsmen to shun his company, and detest his vices. Perhaps our readers may think we have portrayed a being so base, so low, as seldom or never to be met with, except among those mercenary scamps who shoot for the markets. But rest assured, my gentle friends, that the picture is not overdrawn, for there are dozens of just such fellows in every shooting community; and, perhaps, we can even find some such among our own Sporting acquaintances, who hesitate at nothing to fill their bags, in season or out of season, and, in reality, practice in secret the open and avowed motto of the professed Pot Hunter. We have met with such characters, and doubt not but our Sporting friends have done the same, and perhaps been alike distressed and mortified at their behavior in the field. When caught, however, with such would-be Sportsmen, we have but one course to pursue-resign the field for the day, or take our Dogs and quietly put off in another direction to pursue our sports solitary and alone.