RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE. 397 



Red-legged Partridge and a Pheasant. It came from Mr. 

 Gurdon's, of Letton, near Thetford. M. Temminck also 

 refers to a hybrid between the Red-legged Partridge and 

 the Common Partridge. 



These birds scrape together a slight nest of dried grass 

 and leaves upon the ground, among growing corn, grass, or 

 clover ; and two or three instances are recorded, in which 

 nests with eggs were found in the thatch, or upon the top 

 of low stacks. The eggs are from fifteen to eighteen in 

 number, of a reddish yellow white, spotted and speckled 

 with reddish brown ; the length one inch seven lines and a 

 half, by one inch and three lines in breadth. The young, 

 like those of our Common Partridge, soon quit the nest 

 after they are released from the egg-shell. They feed also, 

 like other Partridges, on seeds, grain, and insects ; they 

 frequent turnip- fields, but appear to prefer heaths, com- 

 mons, and other waste land, interspersed with bushes. 



As an object of pursuit they are not much esteemed by 

 sportsmen. These birds being stronger on the wing than 

 the Common Partridge, are usually much more wild, and 

 accordingly much more difficult to get shots at within dis- 

 tance. They foot away before a pointer like an old Cock 

 Grouse ; and unless the sportsman can drive them into 

 furze, or some other such thick bottom, through which 

 they cannot thread their way, but little chance of success 

 attends him. When wounded, they will run to ground in 

 a rabbit-burrow, or any other hole they can find. 



Occasionally they perch in trees, and have been seen on 

 the upper bar of a gate, or the top of a lift of paling. Mr. 

 Daniel mentions that the covey of fourteen which he found 

 near Colchester, were in a very thick piece of turnips, and 

 for half an hour baffled the exertions of a brace of good 

 pointers to make them take wing ; and the first which did 

 so immediately perched on the hedge, and was shot in that 



