The Common Partridge 211 



sion quite a complex array of eggs. For instance, last 

 year I came across a combination of partridge and mallard 

 duck eggs, in the proportion of eight to six I visited 

 the spot several times, and usually found the partiridge, 

 but once I discerned the duck, as if one had kept watch 

 for the other, and had taken their turns Never were they 

 seen sitting together. As a naturalist, I was particularly 

 interested in the development of this phenomenon, and 

 anxiously awaited the forthcoming strange brood. I was, 

 however, denied this, for the nest was ultimately harried. 



That the parent birds sedulously protect their young is 

 conclusively proved, and the crows and similar rapacious 

 birds have been seen to beat a hasty retreat. 



I have seen that the partridge can adopt different forms 

 of defence, and it has been known to feign lameness, and 

 even death, as a stratagem to get rid of the aggressor. 

 They utter, at these times, terrified screams, and appear 

 to be retreating with broken limbs; and, like the wary 

 peewit, will conjure up all kinds of devices to draw the 

 trespasser, be he human or animal, from the vicinity of 

 the nest. 



During the breeding season, like most birds, they 

 assume a deeper and more majestic coloration, and in the 

 male there is seen a slight imitation of the wattle incident 

 to the true grouse; and this shows a pinkish colour. 



In the female the tips of the feathers become more 

 decidedly marked with somewhat pale yellowish-gray. 

 There is no other bird, however, with, perhaps, the excep- 

 tion of the pheasant, that is so liable to variation, and 

 this comes about more markedly in recent years, probably 

 in consequence of the introduction of foreign strains for 

 crossing purposes. Both the French and the Hungarian 

 birds have been largely used for this purpose. 



The partridge is a flat runner, and the sportsman, in- 

 his novitiate days, is not a little deceived as to the where- 

 abouts of the birds, after alighting to the ground. In 

 order to ensure their salvation, they use their legs very 

 nimbly in running a considerable distance. 



' ' The partridge is one of the best birds wearing 

 feathers. He is a gentleman from the horseshoe on bis 



