A DAY WITH THE BARBARY PARTRIDGES. 179 



and thrive in the most barren districts. In some of its 

 habits it resembles the Red-legged Partridge. Like that 

 bird it always tries to escape from enemies by running, 

 only taking to its wings when absolutely compelled to 

 do so. It is also very quarrelsome and pugnacious, 

 though somewhat shy, especially when the love season 

 has passed. Another habit common to the two species 

 is that of perching on low trees and bushes when it is 

 hurriedly flushed. It runs quickly over the rocky ground 

 and through the matted vegetation, every now and then 

 lifting its head high above surrounding objects to look 

 warily round. It feeds on shoots of herbage, grain, seeds 

 of various kinds, and in summer on insects and grubs. 

 It seldom wanders far from home, and the same bit of 

 scrub or mountain side that has afforded good sport one 

 day generally abounds with birds the next. It makes 

 its nest under a stunted bush or beneath the shelter of a 

 rock amongst scrub and broken ground, merely scratch- 

 ing out a little depression in which it places a few bits of 

 dead grass or herbage by way of lining. The eggs are 

 ten or twelve in number, very similar to those of the 

 Red-legged Partridge, but a trifle more richly spotted. 

 Unfortunately the Barbary Partridge is much more 

 handsome in appearance than its flesh is excellent in 

 quality, and it is but a poor bird for the table, being dry 

 and flavourless. 



But our ornithological observations are disturbed by 



N 2 



