PARTRIDGE 15 



the absence of spurs on the legs of the cocks, and the slight (if any) 

 difference between the plumage of the two sexes. Several species of 

 partridges are now recognised b)^ ornithologists, the range of the genus 

 Perdix embracing Europe and a large part of Central and northern 

 Asia. Usually there are eighteen tail-feathers, but in the Himalayan 

 and Tibetan P. IiodgsonicB there are only sixteen. The partridge itself 

 ranges over the greater part of Europe, and a considerable area in 

 western and Central Asia, extending to the Altai, the Caucasus, Asia 

 Minor, and northern Persia. Several local races of the partridge, such 

 as the Scandinavian, Russian, and Caucasian, have been named ; and 

 by some writers the Spanish partridge, the partridge of eastern Europe 

 and southern Siberia, and the migratory Alpine partridge of western 

 Europe, are regarded as distinct species. The four Asiatic partridges 

 are very distinct. In the British Islands the partridge is practically 

 universally distributed, although it does not appear to range naturally 

 to the northward of the Inner Hebrides. It has, however, been 

 introduced into the Orkneys and some of the islands nearer the 

 Scottish coast. Although not abundant, it breeds in every Irish county. 



The cocks are distinguished by the fact that the lesser and median 

 wing-coverts and scapulars have buff-coloured shaft-stripes, and their 

 inner webs blotched with chestnut. In the hens these feathers are 

 black with buff cross-bars, while the shafts are as in the cocks. 

 Immature birds resemble the adults, but have the first primary quill 

 pointed instead of rounded at the tip, while the scaling of the legs is 

 yellowish horn-colour. The characteristic " horseshoe-mark " on the 

 breast is well developed in the cocks and immature hens. Young 

 birds, till after the first moult, resemble hens. The downy chick is 

 greyish buff tinged with chestnut-colour : the crown of the head being 

 dark chestnut, the sides of the face yellowish marked by a long, more 

 or less imperfect, loop of black with the ends turned forwards, the back 

 of the neck showing a dark stripe dividing to run along the back on 

 each side of the middle line, and below this on each side a similar 

 dark line enclosing a narrow buff-coloured stripe. From the ordinary 

 type a transition exists towards a rufous or chestnut phase of the 

 partridge, which is by no means uncommon, and when fully developed 

 has the head a dull red, and most of the rest of the plumage dark 

 chestnut. This chestnut phase has been regarded as a distinct species, 

 under the name of mountain-partridge {P. iiw)itana), but it is certain 

 that it is not even a race. A specimen was seen in Norfolk in 1907. 

 Albino and cream-coloured specimens occur from time to time. 



The partridge is strictly monogamous, pairing in February, but 



