526 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



in a walled enclosure, following the gardener about while 

 he attended to his duties, and became so tame as to permit 

 visitors to approach within a yard of them ; they were 

 fed regularly by the hand, and even took corn from a lady 

 who was a stranger to them. They shewed no desire to leave 

 their home until they were frightened by a cat, and from 

 that time they flew out into the park to roost, returning 

 at daylight to receive their breakfast {Zool. 1885, p. 29). I 

 have twice seen a covey fly out to sea at Redcar, and on 

 one occasion, at high tide, observed seven or eight birds settle 

 on the water near the pier, where they remained for a little 

 time and then rose and flew inland. In January 1901 a 

 Partridge was picked up about a mile off at sea, where it had 

 alighted near a boat. 



Of curious nesting situations may be mentioned one in 

 a farmyard at Laughton-en-le-Morthen, in 1851, and another 

 on the top of a stack, about twelve feet from the ground, at 

 Brompton, near Northallerton, in May 1886. The nest 

 has occasionally been found at the extreme point of the Spurn 

 promontory, and amongst the bents on the Breakwater at 

 the Teesmouth, where there was one in April 1900, containing 

 seventeen eggs, all of which were hatched. 



Nidification has been recorded as early as 19th February, 

 and an early brood was found at Bolton-on-Dearne on 27th 

 May 1872 ; whilst in the other extreme a hen bird was 

 noted sitting on nine eggs as late as 14th October, at Cherry 

 Burton {Field, ist November 1884). On 21st March 1883, 

 an unbroken covey was noticed at Masham. 



Although the immense bags of Partridges made in more 

 favoured counties are not equalled in Yorkshire, yet there 

 are some on record which are noticeable. At Hornby Castle, in 

 1859-60, no fewer than 5,359 birds were killed, and Earl de 

 Grey shot 303 birds near Ripon, to his own gun or guns, 

 on 23rd September 1884. 



Many examples of white and parti-coloured specimens 

 are chronicled; in the "Gentlemen's Magazine" (1797), is 

 an account of four birds of a delicate milk white, which 

 were taken in a net in September, and kept in confinement 



