THE PARTRIDGES 63 



normal migratory movements performed by the ancestors of these 

 birds before their importation into England. What evidence there is 

 of migration has been recorded chiefly by the late Henry Stevenson 

 and John Cordeaux, who reported, during the course of many years' 

 observation, many instances of French partridges having been taken, 

 at various points on the east coast, in an exhausted condition, while 

 in some cases they have been seen at sea, flying landwards, at a dis- 

 tance of five miles from the shore. But both these observers were men 

 who enjoyed, and who had earned, a high reputation as ornithologists, 

 and both regarded such " migrations " as uncontemplated excursions, 

 or at any rate as journeys made from the land seaward, and back in a 

 detour, a sort of random voyage of discovery speedily repented of. 

 And this view is surely the one which will still find most favour 

 to-day. 



If the partridges of our islands escape the perils of migration, they 

 have at any rate, in common with all other birds, at least one trying 

 period to pass through, and that is during the annual ecdysis or 

 " moult." Among many species, indeed, this is a bi-annual event, and 

 so it remains until the juvenile stage is past. There are, however, in 

 Perdix cinerea, at any rate, remnants of a double annual moult, in 

 kind precisely similar to that presented by the blackcock (Lyrurus 

 tetrix) : that is to say, there is a partial " eclipse plumage " which is 

 confined to the head and neck. The existence of such an " eclipse " 

 dress was first discovered by Mr. G. E. Lodge, an ornithologist of ripe 

 experience and keen judgment, and was later worked out in detail by 

 Mr. W. R. Ogilvie-Grant of the British Museum. He pointed out 

 that from July to September the head and neck of the cock is of a 

 light umber colour relieved by very narrow shaft-streaks of buff*, each 

 feather, further, having a narrow black border. Birds killed in 

 September, having the head and neck thus marked, had hitherto been 

 regarded as very " forward " young birds ; and this likeness to the 

 immature and therefore ancestral plumage is significant. As a 

 matter of fact, however, the feathers of this area, in such young birds, 



