528 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



connection with the county being, apparently, in Thomas 

 AlHs's Report, written in 1844, thus : — 



Perdix rufus. — Red-legged Partridge — Several have been killed 

 near Doncaster. 



The next reference of any importance was made by A. 

 G. More, who stated that " A few breed very rarely in West 

 Yorkshire {Ibis, 1865, p. 438). These, as Mr. Harting remarks, 

 may have strayed across the borders from Westmorland.* 



At the present day the status of the bird may be best defined 

 as that of a resident, very local in its distribution, and not 

 abundant in any part, whilst it appears to be gradually 

 extending its range coastwise and inland. 



On the southern fringe of the Wolds it is rare in Beverley 

 district, and is occasionally observed on the sandy tract 

 of country between North Cave and Howden. It nested at 

 Ousefleet, on the borders of Lincolnshire, in 1880, and Mr. L. 

 West of Brough informs me he has shot examples in that 

 vicinity, where it is becoming more common, probably crossing 

 the narrow part of the Humber near the junction of the 

 Ouse and Trent. 



On the north Wolds it is spreading, being most plentiful 

 about Foxholes, Filey, and Hunmanby ; several were seen 

 at the latter place by Mr. Pease in 1880, one occurred at 

 Flamborough in 1888, and it nests in the neighbourhood of 

 the Headland and the Speeton Cliffs ; I have information of 

 some having been turned down between Scarborough and 

 Filey about 1892 ; in March 1898 four were seen at Scampston, 

 flying over the lawn, going east, but were not observed again ; 

 in the same year two coveys were at Barmston, and in December 

 1901 four birds were seen and three killed at Wintringham. 

 Mr. D. Young, keeper, of Irton, near Seamer, informs me two 

 were shot whilst driving in 1903, and odd birds are met with 

 from time to time. At Cropton, six miles north of Pickering, 

 a covey, supposed to have been reared on the estate, appeared 



* An interesting article, by this well-known ornithologist, on the 

 local distribution of the Red-legged Partridge appeared in the Field 

 of 27th January 1883. 



