110 AMERICAN ORTYX. 



it so much esteemed for the table as the common 

 grey partridge. There are a few birds distributed 

 over southern Europe, Africa, and India, which are 

 nearly allied to it in colouring and in markings, and 

 which seem to have more skulking habits, and to be 

 much more difficult to force upon the wing ; all of 

 these, we have little doubt, might be introduced to 

 our parks, and would thrive equally well with the 

 common red-legged bird. It appears to have been 

 introduced so long since as in the time of Charles 

 the Second ; and several English noblemen, during 

 the last century, are recorded as having bred them 

 from continental eggs, and turned them out on their 

 respective manors. Mr. Yarrell, in his British Birds, 

 has stated various instances where they have been 

 killed, or are now breeding, in several of the south- 

 ern and eastern English counties ; while the possi- 

 bility also is suggested, of some straggling birds, 

 occasionally met with on the coast, having made a 

 flight, or been driven from Guernsey or Jersey. It 

 has not appeared or been naturalised in any parts 

 of Scotland or Ireland. 



VIRGINIAN OR AMERICAN ORTYX, ORTYX VIR- 

 GINIANA, Is another beautiful little bird, more 

 lately introduced into some of the English counties, 

 but with even less claim to a right in the British 

 fauna, the success of its introduction having been 

 scarcely yet ascertained. It belongs to a group of 

 birds more strongly formed, having a stronger bill, 



