The or Pun- inagan, is about the same size as the red grouse ; but its plumage is of a pale brown, or ash colour, mottled with dusky spots and minute bars; the head and neck have brood•bars of black, rust colour, and white ; the wings are white, as is the belly. The males are beautifully plumed. In winter the ptarmagan is nearly white ; they are feathered to the very claws, and have strong hairs grow ing upon their soles. This bird seems to delight in a cold temperature; always following the snow, (even to the summits of the Grampians,) in which it burrows; it carefully avoids the solar rays. The Greenlanders catch them by dropping loops over their necks, as they sit at the mouths of their burrows, or on stones of their own colour, which they carefully select to roost upon during bleak, dull weather. In Nova Scotia, they are called •$ birch-patridges; in that quarter, their feathers grow double during the cold months.
The Quail, is but little known in Eng land: it may be considered as a small kind of partridge ; but it is a bird of pas sage. There are supposed to be at least two hundred varieties ; though we rare ly see more than two kinds; viz. the brown and the brindled ; the latter are, however, extremely scarce. Quails, in our climate, are in their habits, pretty similar to partridges; but, where they abound, may be seen in bevies, consisting of more than a hundred birds. They are easily domesticated, but for a while only : at the period of migration they invariable disappear; it is said they sometimes re turn to their former homes. They sleep chiefly during the day, and at night ramble to any place where corn is ripe, or has been cut : being extremely vigi lant, and running very fast, it is not easy to put them up. They are peculiarly litigious, and rarely desist until disabled. They will not visit any country where herbage is scarce, or deficient in ver dure. They make no nest, but scrape together any rubbish, or even sit in small hollows, without any preparation what ever. The young are very hardy, and, in a week, shift for themselves: usually about ten eggs are found in a nest. As quails take very short flights, and those generally straight, they are excellent practice for the young sportsman : very small shot will kill them.
or are always found among corn, grass,. broom, or furze: they migrate before winter. The peculiar note of this bird subjects it to immediate discovery ; the repeated sound of trek, trek, trek, (some what similar to springing the edges of a fine comb,) from the thickest part of our meadows, is sure to announce its arrival; generally about the middle of May. It lays about fifteen or twenty eggs ; the young birds are covered with a black down, and are very active. Corn-crakes are of a strong scent, and cause dogs to remain for a long time in search; their unwillingness to rise occasions many to be caught by hand ; they will not fly until absolutely compelled, and then very heavily, with pendent legs, andto a short distance, but they run very fast. When
flitted, they usually perch in a hedge. They mix much with quails, and, like them, weigh from six to eight ounces.
Ruffs and Reeves are so diversified in colour, that scarcely two are ever found of the same appearance. The former are the males, and may be known by the ruffs about their throats: they are gene rally more numerous than the reeves, which are the females. The ruff grows large, but is very light; rarefy reaching beyond seven ounces; though extending about two feet between the tips of the wings. These birds are found early in the spring, in the fens of Lincolnshire, and other low countries, but retire, no one knows whither, about Michaelmas.
The reeves lay four white eggs, marked with rusty spots.
Plovers are of various kinds, but the sportsman pursues only the golden, the grey, and the peewhit, or lapwing. They generally weigh from seven to nine ounces, and visit us only from October to March : and then in no great numbers. Look for them in ploughed fields. Few are shot, but many are netted in green corn-fields, near to water, to which they always resort after a meal, to wash their beaks : their flesh is peculiarly delicate, and the eggs are sold by the London poul terers at the enormous price of four shil lings per dozen.
The Woodcock is a bird of passage, ar riving among us about Michaelmas, and retiring about March : they fly only by night. In the moonlights of November and December, they may be heard pass ing from about ten till four; they are, however, entirely guided by the wind: they are invariably preceded by the red wing, and followed by the Royston crow. • In the spring, when the wind is easterly, the woodcocks assemble on our eastern coasts, linger among the furze, waiting for a westerly change, and may then be killed in great numbers. They rarely stay long in a place, but proceed from one spring-head to another, thrusting their long beaks into the slime, and suck ing the worms by which they are nou rished. They are particularly fond of such rills as lie within coppices and heavy woods : in such they take very short flights when roused, and will dog among the boughs in a surprising manner. It requires an excellent brace of spaniels, short rangers, and extremely vigorous, for this branch of shooting : great numbers are caught in springer, set on the bor ders of lakes, &c. Woodcocks generally weigh from twelve to fourteen ounces ; but those that arrive early in the season are the largest. When a woodcock rises, he invariably quits his trail, so that no thing is ever found in the intestine. It should be remarked, that some persons seek for woodcocks with pointers, to whose necks small bells are suspended, to rouse the birds, which sometimes are either unable, or averse, to move ; but we cannot think such a practice by any means likely to succeed. A person who marks well is a great aid in following this diversion.