ingoficiclesinthegrass,orelsewithsprightlydaydayday,ormorerarely,inspring-likedays,awirysummeryphe-befromthewood-side.TheyweresofamiliarthatatlengthonealightedonanarmfulofwoodwhichIwascarryingin,andpeckedatthestickswithoutfear.IoncehadasparrowalightuponmyshoulderforamomentwhileIwashoeinginavillagegarden,andIfeltthatIwasmoredistinguishedbythatcircumstancethanIshouldhavebeenbyanyepauletIcouldhaveworn.Thesquirrelsalsogrewatlasttobequitefamiliar,andoccasionallysteppeduponmyshoe,whenthatwasthenearestway.
Whenthegroundwasnotyetquitecovered,andagainneartheendofwinter,whenthesnowwasmeltedonmysouthhill-sideandaboutmywood-pile,thepartridgescameoutofthewoodsmorningandeveningtofeedthere.Whicheversideyouwalkinthewoodsthepartridgeburstsawayonwhirringwings,jarringthesnowfromthedryleavesandtwigsonhigh,whichcomessiftingdowninthesun-beamslikegoldendustforthisbravebirdisnottobescaredbywinter.Itisfrequentlycoveredupbydrifts,and,itissaid,“sometimesplungesfromonwingintothesoftsnow,whereitremainsconcealedforadayortwo.”Iusedtostartthemintheopenlandalso,wheretheyhadcomeoutofthewoodsatsunsetto“bud”thewildapple-trees.Theywillcomeregularlyeveryeveningtoparticulartrees,wherethecunningsportsmanliesinwaitforthem,andthedistantorchardsnextthewoodssufferthusnotalittle.Iamgladthatthepartridgegetsfed,atanyrate.ItisNature’sownbirdwhichlivesonbudsanddiet-drink.
Indarkwintermornings,orinshortwinterafternoons,Isometimesheardapackofhoundsthreadingallthewoodswithhoundingcryandyelp,unabletoresisttheinstinctofthechase,andthenoteofthehuntinghornatintervals,provingthatmanwasintherear.Thewoodsringagain,andyetnofoxburstsforthontotheopenlevelofthepond,norfollowingpackpursuingtheirAct?on.AndperhapsateveningIseethehuntersreturningwithasinglebrushtrailingfromtheirsleighforatrophy,seekingtheirinn.Th