RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE. 119 



aucl which, in its turn, has never been proved to migrate 

 even to the mainland of Europe. At the present day the 

 Ked-legged Partridge occurs in the Azores and in Madeira, 

 but there can hardly be a doubt that it was introduced there 

 by the Portuguese settlers in the same way as G. chukar of 

 India was carried to St. Helena. 



Ked-legged Partridges scrape together a slight nest of 

 dried grass and leaves upon the ground, among growing 

 corn, grass, or clover ; and two or three instances are 

 recorded in which nests with eggs were found in the thatch, 

 or upon the top of low stacks. The eggs are from fifteen 

 to eighteen in number, of a reddish-yellow white, spotted 

 and speckled with reddish-brown, measuring 1*6 by 1*25 

 in. Professor Newton remarks that this species begins to 

 lay its eggs earlier than the Common Partridge, but it 

 has a habit of dropping its first eggs about in a desultory 

 manner, so that it is no great gainer by making an early 

 beginning. The young, like those of our Common Partridge, 

 soon quit the nest after they are released from the egg-shell. 

 They feed also, like other Partridges, on seeds, grain, and in- 

 sects ; they frequent turnip-fields, but appear to prefer heaths, 

 commons, and other waste land, interspersed with bushes. 



As an object of pursuit they are not esteemed by sports- 

 men, for being stronger on the wing than the Common 

 Partridge, they are usually much more wild, and accord- 

 ingly more difficult to get shots at within distance. 

 They foot away before a pointer like an old cock Phea- 

 sant ; and unless the sportsman can drive them into furze, 

 or some other such thick bottom, through which they can- 

 not thread their way, but little chance of success attends 

 him. For these reasons they have been in many places 

 destroyed as vermin, but under the modern system of " driv- 

 ing " sportsmen are enabled to give a better account of 

 them, and the strong abhorrence entertained for them has 

 somewhat abated. When wounded, they will run to ground 

 in a rabbit-burrow, or any other hole they can find. Occa- 

 sionally they perch in trees, and have been seen on the upper 

 bar of a gate, or the top of a lift of paling. 



