49° RED-LEGGED PARTRIJ)GE. 



Steady, and precluded the possibility of walking it up ; but since 

 ' driving ' became a system the only objection to it is as regards 

 its inferior quality for the table. Attempts at introduction on the 

 mainland of Scotland and in the Orkneys have failed ; nor have 

 those made in Ireland since 1844 been successful. There is not 

 the slightest evidence that this bird ever undertakes long migra- 

 tions from, or on, the Continent. 



Even in the Channel Islands the Red-legged Partridge appears 

 to be an alien, and in the north of France is rare, while in Belgium 

 it is almost unknown. In the centre, east, and south of France it is 

 generally distributed, and it is the only red-legged species indig- 

 enous to the Spanish Peninsula ; but on the Rock of Gibraltar the 

 Barbary Partridge {C. petrosd), with brown nape and collar, has been 

 introduced from Morocco. Eggs of the latter have occasionally 

 been hatched in England, but the bird has never obtained a footing. 

 The Red-legged Partridge is also found in the Azores, Madeira, 

 and some of the Canaries : no doubt taken there by the early 

 settlers. In the Alps and the Apennines its eastward progress is 

 barred by the presence of the larger and stronger C. saxatilis, which 

 also occupies Sicily ; Sardinia is held by the Barbary Partridge, but 

 the Balearic Islands, Elba, Corsica, and part of North-western Italy 

 are left to the French bird. Few species have so restricted a natural 

 range, or bear confinement better ; thousands of birds being carried 

 about in cages during the greater part of their lives, owing to the 

 southern practice of using them to lure their wild relatives within shot. 



The scanty nest is usually on the ground, but not unfrequently 

 in the side or on the top of a stack ; the eggs, 15-18 in number, 

 are yellowish-white, blotched with rufous-brown : average measure- 

 ments I "6 by I "25 in. The food consists of leaves, seeds and 

 insects, obtained chiefly on waste land of a drier and more open 

 nature than that frequented by the Grey Partridge. The latter is 

 seldom interfered with ; the two species living apart, and rarely 

 interbreeding. The Red-legged Partridge not unfrequently perches 

 on trees, and may often be seen on gates and palings. 



The adult male has the bill red ; crown grey ; a black streak from 

 each eye backwards and downwards to a gorget of the same colour ; 

 general upper parts hair-brown ; tail-feathers chestnut ; throat white ; 

 breast pearl-grey ; belly fawn-colour ; flanks greyish, handsomely 

 barred with black and chestnut ; legs red, with rudimentary spur- 

 knobs. Length 13*5 in, ; wing 6'25 in. The female is rather smaller 

 and duller in colour, and has no knobs on her legs. The young 

 have no grey on the throat and hardly any black on the gorget. 



