PARTRIDGE. I95 



instance of the difficulty of all attempts to represent such notes 



by written words. 



With *' kirchup " ] " kirchup " ! 'mong the wheats 

 Partridge distant Partridge greets ; 

 Beckoning hints to those that roam 

 That guide the squander'd covey home. 



Partridges pair early in February, and make a slender nest on 

 the ground, under the shelter of some growing crops or herbage. 

 They lay from ten to eighteen eggs, upon which only the hen bird 

 sits. As soon, however, as the young birds are hatched, the cock bird 

 joins the family, and few things are more interesting in country-life, 

 than to notice the affectionate anxiety exhibited by both parents in the 

 care of the young birds, and the clever stratagems they will display 

 to protect them from danger. When suddenly surprised, a peculiar 

 cry of distress is given ; immediately each little bird hides itself and 

 becomes invisible, whilst the old birds will flutter along the ground, as 

 if lame and unable to fly, or will even drop down as if dead, in order 

 to attract the attention, and entice the intruder away ; and which- 

 ever bird the intruder follows, the other gives another gentle signal, 

 and leads the little ones off to the nearest shelter, in an opposite 

 direction. The old birds will fight with great boldness, any Crow 

 or Hawk that endeavours to seize their young. 



Many Partridges' nests are destroyed in cutting the early crops of 

 rye-grass, clover, or vetches, in which the birds are so fond of hiding, 

 but when possible the eggs are saved and hatched under hens. The 

 young birds so reared are very tame at first, but when once they get 

 their full strength of wing, away they fly ; and the terror of the first 

 report of a gun, makes them thoroughly wild. Partridges are restless 

 birds, shy in habit, and when once frightened they take a long 

 rapid flight into a new district, where, if undisturbed, they will very 

 likely remain. For these reasons the artificial rearing of Partridges 

 is only resorted to, when the eggs would otherwise be spoilt. 



The Partridge does far more good than harm on the farm ; for 

 though they are fond of grain, and will eat the sprouting corn, and 

 in severe weather will injure the turnips, they eat much more 

 continuously the seeds of many troublesome weeds, and devour 



