COMMON PARTRIDGE. 335 



incli five lines in length, by one inch and half a line in 

 breadth, and from twelve to twenty are produced by one 

 female. Twenty-eight eggs in one instance, and thirty-three 

 eggs in two other instances, are recorded as having been 

 found in one nest ; but there is little doubt in these cases, 

 that more than one bii-d had laid eggs in the same nest. 

 In one of the instances recorded, in which the nest, with 

 thirty-three eggs, was in a fallow field, twenty-three youno- 

 birds were hatched out, and went ofF with the old ones, and 

 four of the eggs left behind had live birds in them. The 

 attachment of Partridges to their eggs and young is prover- 

 bial. Montagu mentions an instance in which a Partrido-e 

 on the point of hatching, was taken, together with her eggs, 

 and carried in a hat to some distance ; she continued to sit, 

 and brought out her young. Mr. Jesse mentions two cases : 

 " A farmer discovered a Partridge sitting on its eggs in a 

 grass'field. The bird allowed him to pass his hand fre- 

 quently down its back without moving, or showing any fear; 

 but if he ofl^ered to touch the eggs, the poor bird imme- 

 diately pecked his hand, A gentleman living near Spilsby, 

 in Lincolnshire, was one day riding over his farm and super- 

 intending his ploughmen, who were ploughing a piece of 

 fallow land. He saw a Partridge glide ofF her nest so near 

 the foot of one of his plough-horses, that he thought the eggs 

 must be crushed ; this, however, was not the case ; but he 

 found that the old bird was on the point of hatchino-, as 

 several of the eggs were beginning to chip. He saw the old 

 bird return to her nest the instant he left the spot. It was 

 evident that the next round of the plough must bury the 

 eggs and nest in the furrow. His surprise was great when, 

 returning with the plough, he came to the spot, and saw the 

 nest indeed, but the eggs and bird were gone. An idea 

 struck him that she had removed her eggs ; and he found 

 her, before he left the field, sitting under the hedge upon 



