THE PARTRIDGES 67 



a partridge glide off her nest so near the foot of one of his plough 

 horses that he thought the eggs must be crushed. This, however, was 

 not the case ; but he found that the old bird was on the point of 

 hatching, as several of the eggs were beginning to chip. He saw her 

 return to her nest the instant he left the spot. It was evident that 

 the next round of the plough must bury the eggs and nest in the 

 furrow. His surprise was great when, returning with the plough, he 

 came to the spot and saw the nest indeed, but the eggs and bird were 

 gone. An idea struck him that she had removed her eggs, and he 

 found her, before he left the field, sitting under the hedge upon 

 twenty-one eggs, and she brought off nineteen birds. The round of 

 ploughing had occupied about twenty minutes, in which time she, 

 probably assisted by the cock bird, had removed the twenty-one eggs 

 to a distance of about forty yards." 



When birds have the temerity, or stupidity, to lay in a nest near 

 a frequented pathway, the chances that the eggs will be discovered 

 and taken, or accidentally trodden on by some passer-by, are many ; 

 yet the Rev. H. A. Macpherson remarks he has known of a case where 

 a portion of a clutch was thus destroyed, and the remainder hatched 

 out by the cock, the nerves of the hen having been so shattered by 

 the accident that she could not be induced to resume her duties. He 

 further remarks that a hen brooding in an exposed situation will com- 

 monly cover her eggs with leaves before going off to feed. (PI. LXI.) 



As a rule, at any rate, the male takes no part in incubation, but 

 while hatching is in progress, Mr. Farren tells me, the male assists 

 by taking the young birds as they emerge and brooding them ; and 

 further, that when she leaves the nest to feed, he accompanies her 

 and helps to find food. When foraging the male runs ahead, then 

 stands for a few moments surveying his immediate surroundings. 

 If all seems well he goes on, uttering a low " zut-zut" while the hen, 

 crouching low, follows with her brood, seeking seeds and insects as 

 they run. On the slightest suspicion of danger the male utters a 

 clucking alarm-note, and at once flies off, thereby distracting atten- 



