PAUTRtDGE SHOOTING. 67 



unusual thing also to introduce partridge's eggs under the common 

 hen, who hatches and rears them as her own : in this case the 

 young birds require to be fed with ant's eggs, which are their 

 favourite food, and without which it is impossible to bring them 

 up ; they Kkewise eat insects, and, when full grown, all kinds of 

 grain and plants. The affection of the partridge for her young is 

 peculiarly strong and Kvely : she is also greatly assisted in the care 

 of rearing them by her mate ; they together lead them in common, 

 call them_ together, gather for them theii' suitable food, and assist 

 in procuring it by scratching the ground. They frequently sit 

 close to each other, covering their offspring like the hen. In this 

 situation they are not easily flushed; the sportsman who is 

 attentive to the preservation of his game wiU. carefully avoid 

 giving any disturbance to a scene so truly interesting; but should 

 the pointer come too near, or run in upon them, there are few who 

 are ignorant of the confusion that follows. The male first gives 

 the signal of alarm by a peculiar cry of distress, thi-owing himself 

 at the same moment more immediately in the way of danger, ia 

 order to deceive or mislead the enemy ; he flies, or rather runs 

 along the ground, hanging his wings, and exhibiting every symptom 

 of debility and weakness, in order to decoy the dog, hi the too 

 eager expectation of an easy prey, to_ a distance from the covey. 

 The female flies off in a contrary direction and to a greater distance, 

 but returns soon after by secret paths, and she then commonly 

 finds her scattered brood closely squatted among the grass, and. 

 collecting them with haste by her " jucldng," she leads them from 

 the danger before the dog has had time t9 return from the pursuit. 

 The partridge lives chiefly upon grain, along with the small 

 seeds from other plants. Her nest is rather a rough one. It is 

 made on the gTOund in grass fields, among standing corn, in clover, 

 in furze, and sometimes even at the top of a ditch. The eggs are 

 generally laid in the month of May ; and from this time to the 

 latter end of June, the process of incubation or nidification takes 

 place. In all the stages of this task the male bird takes a certain 

 share. When the brood is hatched, he manifests the greatest 

 soHcitude in leading them abroad in search of ants' eggs, and 

 larvae among insects. His call is in a sharper key than that of the 

 female. Naturalists have_ noticed that the two birds have various 

 notes or cries, as if to distinguish their several states or conditions, 

 as to safety, food, or danger. Their jucking is well known when 

 they settle down in the evening. Mr. Lascelles tells us that he has 

 often watched their movements, and listened to their cries for 

 hours ; and always observed the male bnd as being even more 

 sohcitous, in appearance at least, than the female, for the provision 

 and protection of the brood. This care, however, is left to the 

 female as soon as the birds are able to fly. _ Her watchfulness stiU 

 I continues, and seems even increased. She is never far from them, 

 jbut searches for food for them and leads them abro&d to their 

 scratching ground^ and when they seem tired, she gathers them ali 



