THE FRANCO-GERMAN WAR. 83 



on that frosty morning's drive to know that war does not 

 scare them away, as suggested in " The Field " of March 

 nth, 1871, and by Lord CHfton in the Zoologist, (pp. 2481, 

 2561). Again and again, as we rode along the crisp high- 

 way, I had to shout to make them get off the poplar trees ; 

 and often I longed for a gun to procure some of the singular 

 varieties, for few birds vary more than the Common Buzzard. 

 I also noticed a good many Kestrels asleep in the trees, 

 and now and then a small covey of Partridges (Perdix 

 cinerca). The so-called French Partridge* is exceedingly 

 rare in Lorraine, and not found at all in Alsace, according 

 to Kroener (1. c). 



After my return to England, Count Cotlosquet had the 

 goodness to have shot and to send me a very fine Kite, 

 which had its nest in a wood near Metz, 



eight dead rats at once, which was enough to nonplus most Hawks, but 

 the undaunted Buzzard proceeded most methodically to split their 

 heads open, and eat the brains of every rat in succession. I dare say 

 they are still found in limited numbers in that part of Wales. 



* A gunner of the name of Hornigold chanced to see eight birds 

 alight in Lynn Wash — that is to say on the water. Wild fowl being his 

 livehhood, he lost no time in " lying down " to them in his punt, but 

 great was his surprise when instead of Ducks they proved to be a 

 Avorn-out covey of Red-legged Partridges. They may have been a 

 band of migrants, though I do not think it. More likely frightened 

 and shot at on land, they flew they knew not whither, and losing their 

 way in the fog, escaped Scylla to perish in Charybdis. Hornigold 

 bagged them, and no doubt thought a covey of eight Red-legged 

 Partridges was an unusual booty. 



