The Partridge 



The male differs from the female in the brighter yellowish 

 chestnut of the head and greyer neck, and the wing coverts 

 are longitudinally striped with buff in the male, but in the 

 female they are barred. 



In young birds the general tone of the plumage is paler, 

 and the feathers have a median buff longitudinal stripe. 

 Length 12 '5 in.; wing 6 in. 



THE RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE 



Caccabis rufa (Linnseus) 



This species has been introduced into this country at 

 various times from 1770 onwards, and is now well 

 established in several districts. Its home on the Continent 

 is the east and south of France, Spain, and North-western 

 Italy, where it inhabits dry and mountainous districts. In 

 this country it can only be called common in the East 

 Anglian counties, though it is also found on both sides of 

 the Thames valley and in some parts of the Midlands. 

 The damp climate of the west does not suit it, and attempts 

 to introduce it into Scotland and Ireland have failed. 



In food and habits it is somewhat similar to the Common 

 Partridge, but its habit of running instead of getting on the 

 wing renders it less desirable as a sporting bird, and its 

 flesh is decidedly inferior. It lays its eggs in banks or 

 under hedges, well concealed by thick cover, without any 

 attempt at a nest beyond a slight scrape. The eggs are 

 yellowish white, speckled with brown, and are slightly larger 



281 36 



