264 BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 



Situation and Locality. On the ground at the 

 bottom of a hedge, amongst mowing grass, clover, 

 standing corn, weeds, brackens, rough grass, and 

 brambles. In ploughed fields, pasture lands, on 

 the outskirts of woods, and in grass - fields. 

 Plentiful in cultivated districts, where preserved, 

 but less numerous in high moorland districts, 

 from which I have known the bird banished for 

 years together by an exceptionally hard winter. 

 In all suitable districts throughout the British Isles. 

 Sometimes curious sites are chosen by this bird 

 for its nest, such as on the thatch of a shed ; and 

 Booth mentions finding a Linnet's nest in the side 

 of a stack, and that of a Partridge on the thatch 

 of another close to it. I have known instances of 

 the Common Partridge and Red-legged species 

 laying in the same nest, also of a Red Grouse and 

 Common Partridge joining in one. 



Materials. A few blades of dry grass, bits of 

 bracken or dead leaves, used as a lining to the slight 

 hollow selected. 



Eggs. 1 Ten to sixteen or twenty ; as many even 

 as thirty-three have been recorded, but such a 

 large number is undoubtedly the production of two 

 hens. Pale olive-brown or greenish-yellow, un- 

 spotted. Size about 1.4 by i.i in. Easily distin- 

 guished from those of the Red-legged Partridge by 

 smaller size, colour, and lack of spots. (See Plate XV.) 



Time. May and June, although nests containing 

 fourteen eggs have been found as early as April 

 i8th ; and I have seen sitting hens have their 

 heads cut off in grass-fields by the mower's scythe 

 as late as the middle of July. 



Remarks. Resident. Notes : turwit (call) ; 

 j jick (alarm). Local or other name : none. 



