THE COMMON PARTRIDGE 223 



by a pack of hounds, they lie close at first, as if terrified by the noise 

 and bent on concealing themselves ; but when the pack actually 

 comes on them they rise to a great height, and fly to a distance 

 which may be measured by miles — at least, so he supposes, as he 

 has watched them diminish and fade from the sight before they 

 showed any sign of preparing to alight. 



The Partridge, though decorated with no brilliant colours, which 

 would tend to thwart it in its habit of concealing itself among vegeta- 

 tion of the same general hue as itself, is a beautiful bird. Its gait is 

 graceful, its feet small and light, its head well raised ; and its plum- 

 age, though devoid of striking contrasts, is exquisitely ])encilled, 

 each feather on the back and breast being veined like the gauzy 

 wings of a fly. Tlie most conspicuous part of the plumage of the 

 male bird, the horseshoe on its breast, is invisible as it walks or 

 crouches, and the general tone approaches that of the soil. 



Partridges pair early in the year ; but the hen does not begin to 

 lay until May, nor to sit until towards the beginning of June. The 

 nest is merely a depression in the ground, into which a few straws 

 or dead leaves have been drawn. It is sometimes placed among 

 brushwood under a hedge, but more frequently in the border of a 

 field of hay, clover, or corn, or in the wide field itself. The mowing 

 season, unfortunately, is not noted in the calendar of Nature ; so 

 the mother-bird, who is a close sitter, is not unfrequently destroyed 

 by the scythe, or, at aU events, is driven away, and returns to find 

 her eggs carried off to be entrusted to the care of a domestic hen. 

 In unusually wet seasons, nests which have been fixed in low 

 situations are flooded, and the eggs being thus reduced to a low 

 temperature become addle. When this has taken place, the 

 Partridge makes a second laying, and a late brood is reared. 



Notwithstanding this, however. Partridges are exceedingly pro- 

 lific, and are said to be increasing in numbers in proportion as new 

 lands are reclaimed from the w^aste, although the Red-legged Part- 

 ridge has lessened its numbers in some districts. It must certainly 

 be admitted that, in bad seasons, they are treated with a considera- 

 tion that would scarcely be shown towards them if they were simply 

 destroyers of grain and had nothing to recommend them as objects 

 of sport or as delicacies for the table. When abundant, they fall 

 freely before the sportsman's gun ; but when the coveys are either 

 small or few, they are treated with forbearance, and enough are left 

 to stock the preserves for the ensuing year. 



While the hen is sitting, the male bird remains somewhere in the 

 neighbourhood, and gives timely warning of the approach of danger ; 

 when the eggs are hatched, he accompanies his mate, and shares in 

 the work of teaching the young to shift for themselves — a lesson 

 which they begin to learn at once. The food both of old and young 

 bu"ds is, to a great extent, insects. The young are especially fond 

 of ants and their pupcX or larvas. During the year i860, in which 



