RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE. 349 



the Strongly barred flanks and black-framed face and throat 

 are its most conspicuous features. On grass or dark soil its 

 light-brown upper parts are noticeable ; it looks a larger, paler 

 bird than ours. The natural habitat is stone-strewn or sandy 

 waste, and the chalky undulations of Norfolk suit it well ; it 

 delights in a sunny spot where it can lie on its side and enjoy a 

 dust bath. It is, perhaps, more of a runner than the next 

 species, though some Norfolk keepers tell me that this is a 

 mistake, but it certainly seeks safety by foot rather than on 

 the wing if long grass or other concealment is near ; its speed 

 on the ground is remarkable. When put up it flies swiftly, 

 whirring its wings, and rising just high enough to skim the 

 hedges ; it provides a sporting shot when driven. The accusa- 

 tion that it kills the smaller bird is an exaggeration due to a 

 misapprehension of inter-specific competition. Armed with 

 blunt spurs, the males are ready to fight for their rights, marital 

 or territorial, but a weak bird speedily knows when the odds 

 are against it ; the Red-leg, however, is the more powerful and 

 pushful bird and monopoHses food supplies and suitable nesting 

 sites. Grass, clover, buds and shoots, as well as insects, spiders, 

 molluscs, and worms, are its food, and for the greater part of 

 the year the bird is sociable, visiting the feeding grounds in 

 little parties or coveys. The note is a crake-lilve dmk, cluik, 

 chuk-ker J the Indian name for the Himalayan representative 

 of the genus is " Chukar." 



The nest is a hollow, often in a hedgegrow bottom or beneath 

 a bush, sparsely lined with grass and leaves. Large clutches of 

 eggs are common, and nine (Plate 155) is a small number ; a 

 full nest may contain double. The q%% (Plate 154) is yellowish 

 buff with fine reddish spots or blotches ; late April and May is 

 the time for the first eggs. Elevated nests are not uncommon, 

 the top of a haystack having been recorded several times ; in 

 its ordinary life the bird rather likes an elevated stand, perch- 

 ing on walls and even branches. The nestling has reddish 



