NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



them from the grass stems and search amongst the 

 roots of grasses, stones, shrubs, and dead vegetation. 

 They scratch up the soil like a fowl for the female tick 

 which has recently dropped from some animal and 

 has hidden herself preparatory to laying a batch of 

 eggs. With unerring instinct the partridge and quail 

 locate the grubs of beetles and other insects which pass 

 the larval stage of their lives underground. Mole 

 crickets, their eggs, and the eggs of the locust and 

 grasshopper are also exposed to view by the powerful 

 beak of the partridge, and greedily devoured. 



Should the feeding-grounds of partridges be care- 

 fully examined, numerous small excavations will be 

 observed. These are the holes dug by the birds in 

 their search for root-eating grubs. 



The holes and scratchings of partridges may 

 frequently be seen on the margins of cultivated fields. 

 The grain eaten by a partridge is as nothing to the 

 tremendous services rendered by it against the de- 

 structive insect hosts. 



After grain is sown the partridges and pheasants 

 will sometimes dig up a little here and there on the 

 outskirts of the fields ; but these birds seldom move 

 far from cover, as they have a wholesome dread of 

 hawks and carnivorous animals. 



The scratchings and holes made by partridges 

 amongst growing crops and vegetables are not for the 

 purpose of feeding upon their roots, but to expose and 

 devour the root-eating grubs and other insects, the 

 bulbs of wild plants, and the nodules on the roots of 

 water grasses. 



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