EED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE. 409 



male, with, its vermillion-coloured beak and legs, its 

 dark gorget, and lovely feathers on the flanks and 

 thighs, is a very striking object, and contrasts v^ell with 

 the more sombre and uniform tints of the common 

 partridge, when the day's "bag" is laid out for inspec- 

 tion. Unsuited, however, as is the usual style of shooting 

 to the habits of French partridges, they afford fine sport 

 in November and December, when most of the beet and 

 turnips are off the lands, as they then congregate on the 

 ploughed fields, and can be driven over the gunners, 

 placed under cover at convenient distances. In fact, 

 the " driving" system, now so generally adopted on the 

 large estates, is unquestionably the proper method of 

 shooting red-legs, and one which tries well the mettle 

 of the sportsmen, as they mount up higher than the 

 English birds, and fly, when well on the wing, at an 

 almost incredible pace. Yet, at the same time, it must 

 be remembered that such sport can be enjoyed only 

 with impunity on extensive manors, well stocked with 

 birds, since, if attempted too often within a limited 

 area, the partridges may be thus driven off the land 

 altogether, as surely as by the too frequent use of 

 the "kite" towards the latter part of the season. A 

 very effectual time also for reducing their numbers 

 is immediately after a good fall of snow,"^ before a 

 night's frost has hardened the surface. No longer 

 able to run, and still unwilling to fly till obliged to 

 take wing, they seem deprived for the time of their 

 usual sagacity, and seeking shelter in the thickest 

 hedgerows, if in the enclosed parts of the county, or 

 in the gorse and broom coverts of the light land 

 districts, afford excellent sport for a couple of guns, 



' * Dr. Clarke, in the paper before referred to, remarks — 

 "Instances have been known of these birds ahghting in the 

 middle of a field deeply covered with snow, into the depths of 

 which they sunk, and were afterwards taken out aHve by hand." 

 3g 



