COMMON PARTRIDGE. 393 



in colour, and smaller in size, than in the male, not extend- 

 ing farther back over the sides of the neck than a line 

 falling perpendicularly from the eye ; the grey feathers 

 of the lower part of the sides of the neck are more mixed 

 with brown ; the lower breast is white, not assuming the 

 dark chestnut patch till the second or third year; the 

 chestnut bars on the flanks are broader. 



Young birds before their first autumn moult have no red 

 mark behind the eye ; the general plumage is of a uniform 

 brownish yellow, barred and streaked with darker brown ; 

 the legs and toes yellowish clay brown. During the two 

 first months of our shooting-season, the young Partridges 

 may be found in every stage of moult. 



Varieties of the Partridge in colour are very common, 

 some exhibiting only patches of white ; others are wholly 

 white; and cream-coloured, or very pale buff-coloured 

 varieties are also common. 



