AND NEIGHBOURHOOD. 309 



all four of these species, of which we consider the 

 so-called Greek Partridge the best, and the Barbary 

 infinitely the worst, for the table. 



Shooting Red-legged Partridges is, from their habit 

 of running before dogs and the generally very rough 

 nature of their haunts, at all times a somewhat 

 laborious business, but large bags may be made of 

 the Barbary Partridge in North Africa, in many parts 

 of Avhich country it is extremely abundant. The 

 best sport we have ever met with at the common 

 Red-legged bird was on the heathy moors of the 

 island of Minorca, which are divided by rough stone 

 walls, through which the Partridge of course cannot 

 run ; the covert is also very close and thick and not 

 too high, so that the birds got up at fair distances, 

 and with a few Quails and Rock-Doves gave us very 

 pretty shooting. This bird makes a peculiar whirring 

 or ringing sound with the wings on rising, and in 

 Norfolk one learns soon which species to expect 

 before seeing the birds. All the Red-legged Par- 

 tridges are attracted by unusual sights, and we found 

 that in Tunis the herd-boys kill a good number 

 by putting on a brilliant piece of coloured cloth, or a 

 skin of jackal or fox, over then* heads and crawling 

 towards the coveys in a zigzag fashion, often when 

 within range knocking down several with one throw 

 of the heavy knobbed sticks which they almost all 

 carry. Our Red-leg is easily kept in captivity, and 

 becomes very tame, but not to the same extent as its 

 congener, the Greek Partridge above mentioned. 

 We have at several times kept one or more of this 

 last species, w^hich ran about the house, would follow 

 us for long distances, and always come to our call. 

 On the whole we consider that Caccabis rufa is a 



