



r//\> 



THE PAHTRIDGK.* 



The Partridge is essentially llie tenant of the open corn-lands. It is common in tlie 

 corn counties of Britain and on the adjacent continent, being, in fact, most abundant 

 where the labours of the ploughman are the most extensive. 



In February the pairing time takes place, and the males often fight obstinately \\itli 

 each other. The female lays her eggs at the latter part of May or the beginning of 

 Juno, selecting a shallow excavation under a tuft of herbage for their reception. The 

 male leaves the work of incubation entirely to his mate, but joins her ^^•hen tlic brood is 

 hatched, and unites with lier in its protection. 



Few birds are more solicitous in rearing their young, and nuuiy arc tlu' stratagems 

 which the parents will practise to draw ofi' attention from the brood, wliicli by signal- 

 notes is scattered and recalled. Of this IMarkwirk gives the following jiroof : — "It is 

 not uncommon to see an old partridge feign Ksclf wounded, and run along the ground 

 flutteiing and crying before either dog or man, to draw tliem fi'om tlu- lidplcss nnflcdgc-d 

 young ones. T luive often seen it, and once, in particular, I saw a remarkable instance 

 of solicitude in the old bird to save its brood. As I was liuntiiig willi a young pointer, 

 the dog ran on a lirood of very small partridges ; th( old hii'd n'icd, fluttered, and ran 

 tumbling along just before tlie dog's nose, till she had di'awn liim to a considerable 

 distance, when she took wing and flow still further otf, but not out of the field. On tlii.s 

 the dog returned to me, neai- the place where the young ones lay concealrd in the 

 grass. This the old bird no sooner perceived than she Hew back again to us, .settled just 

 before the dog's no.se, and by rolling and tumbling about ag;iin, drew off his attention 

 from the young, and thus preserved her brood a second time. I lia\c idso seen when a 



]'ci(li.\ Cincica. — rem 



