34 OUR RESIDENT BIRDS 



Materials. If any sticks, grass, &c. 

 Eggs. Four to six. Reddish white, spotted and 

 blotched with brick-red ; variable. 



COMMON OR GREY PARTRIDGE (Perdix cinerea). 



Abundant in all well-cultivated districts, though more 

 local in Scotland. 



Plumage. Grey on neck and forechest ; otherwise 

 generally variegated with grey and reddish brown. Dark 

 chestnut horse-shoe patch on lower breast. Wings 

 marked longitudinally with buff. Bill olive-brown. 

 Legs and feet bluish grey. Length 12^ in. Female, 

 almost similar, but markings on wings crossed and not 

 longitudinal. Young, like female, but legs yellowish 

 brown. Young in down, yellowish buff marked with 

 dark brown above and on flanks ; paler below. 



Language. Call-note, " kee-ash." Alarm-note, " gug- 

 ug-ug," somewhat like the Guinea Fowl's well-known cry. 



Habits. Essentially a ground species. In winter they 

 consort in coveys, but they pair off in very early spring. 

 A splendid runner, but when forced to take to the wing 

 it flies rapidly with whirring wings for some distance, 

 then skims along, and soon alights again. The parents 

 often feign injury when the nest or young are in danger. 

 Occasionally two hens share one nest. 



Food. Insects, snails, grain, green leaves, &c. 



Nest. May. One brood. 



Site. In some depression in the ground ; under some 

 bush or herbage. 



Materials. A few dead grasses and leaves. 



Eggs. Eight to twelve, often many more. Olive - 

 brown. 



RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE OR FRENCH 



PARTRIDGE (Caccabis rufa). 



Common in many parts of England, especially in 

 the eastern counties : unknown in Scotland and 



