iece of open
and level ground, and over this they were running in a circle, about
twenty feet in diameter. They did not all run in the same direction, but
met and crossed each other, although they never deviated much from the
circumference of the circle, around which the grass was worn quite bare,
and a ring upon the turf looked baked and black. When I first got near,
they heard my foot among the leaves, and I saw that one and all of them
stopped running, and squatted close down.

"I halted, and hid myself behind a tree. After remaining quiet a minute
or so, the birds began to stretch up their necks, and then all rose
together to their feet, and commenced running round the ring as before.
I knew they were performing what is called the 'Partridge Dance;' and as
I had never witnessed it I held back awhile, and looked on. Even hungry
as I was, and as I knew all of you to be, so odd were the movements of
these creatures, that I could not resist watching them a while, before I
sent my unwelcome messenger into their 'ball-room.'

"Now and then an old cock would separate from the pack, and running out
to some distance, would leap upon a rock that was there; then, after
dropping his wings, flirting with his spread tail, erecting the ruff
upon his neck, and throwing back his head, he would swell and strut upon
the rock, exhibiting himself like a diminutive turkey-cock. After
manoeuvring in this way for a few moments, he would commence flapping his
wings in short quick strokes, which grew more rapid as he proceeded,
until a 'booming' sound was produced, more like the rumble of distant
thunder than anything I can think of.

"This appeared to be a challenge to the others; and then a second would
come out, and, after replying to it by putting himself through a similar
series of attitudes, the two would attack each other, and fight with all
the fury of a pair of game-cocks."

"I could have watched their manoeuvres much longer," continued Basil,
"but hunger got the better of me, and I made ready to fire. Those that
were 'dancing' moved so quickly round the ring that I could not sight
one of them. If I had had a shot gun, I might have covered several, but
with the rifle I could not hope for more than a single bird; so, wanting
to make sure of that, I waited until an old cock mounted the rock, and
got to 'drumming.' Then I sighted him, and sent my bullet through his
crop. I heard the loud whirr of the pack as they rose up from the ri