EUROPEAN PARTRIDGE 7 



ing to White, as soon as the heetles begin to buzz, and the whole move away 

 together to some spot where they jug, as it is called — that is, squat and 

 nestle close together for the night ; and from the appearance of the mutings, 

 or droppings, which are generally deposited in a circle of only a few inches 

 in diameter, it would appear that the birds arrange themselves also in a 

 circle, of which their tails form the centre, all the heads being outwards — 

 a disposition whicK instinct has suggested as the best for observing the 

 approach of any of their numerous enemies, whatever may be the direction, 

 and thus increase their security by enabling them to avoid a surprise. In 

 the morning early they again visit the stubble for a breakfast, and pass the 

 rest of the days as before. Fields of clover or turnips are very favourite places 

 of resort during the day. Mr. Harvie-Brown informs the editor that when 

 the snow lay upon the ground he has known a covey to roost regularly on a 

 limb of a large tree ; and he has also seen Partridges " treed " by a dog. 



Considerable discussion has appeared in print on the effect, on our 

 native game birds, of introducing Hungarian partridges. Some 

 claim that where the partridges are increasing the native grouse are 

 disappearing. Most of our grouse are subject to periodic fluctuation 

 in numbers from other causes; and it does not seem to have been 

 definitety proved that the partridges are the cause of any local de- 

 crease in grouse. There are certainly plenty of suitable nesting sites 

 for all these ground-nesting species ; there is no proof that any short- 

 age of food supply has led to any disastrous competition between 

 them ; and there is no evidence that the smaller partridges ever attack 

 the larger grouse, which should be more than a match for them. 

 Though there is always danger in introducing a foreign species, it 

 would seem that the little gray partridge is more likely to prove a 

 complementary than a competitive species. 



Enemies. — Partridges, like all other ground-nesting species, are 

 preyed upon by the whole long list of furred and feathered enemies, 

 but they are such prolific breeders that their natural enemies are not 

 likely seriously to reduce their numbers. Their habits of feeding 

 in the open during the day and roosting in the open at night, make 

 them especially exposed to the attacks of hawks and owls. The ring- 

 necked pheasant may have to be reckoned with, as an enemy of the 

 partridge. Mr. Spiker (1929) writes: 



Northwestern Iowa has not until fairly recently been afflicted with this per- 

 nicious bird, but they are on the increase, and farmers have told me that with 

 the coming in of the Ring-necked Pheasant, the partridges are departing. Per- 

 haps a concrete example would be admissible here. Mr. Raymond Rove, a 

 farmer living a few miles northwest of Sibley, while plowing late last fall 

 (1927), observed something of a commotion in a little swale a short distance 

 from his plowing. Prompted by curiosity he walked over to the place and 

 flushed half a dozen partridges and three Ring-necked Pheasants. On the 

 ground before him lay the bleeding bodies of three partridges newly killed. It 

 was just dusk, and doubtless the smaller species had crept into the long grass 

 to spend the night and had been fallen upon by the pheasants who were already 

 there. Stories are also told of the destruction of the nests of the Hungarian 

 Partridge by pheasants. 



