208 PARTRIDGES. 



time to enter into any detail on them, or even to give 

 a translation of their different names. 



PARTRIDGES. Tetrao perdixLa perdrix 

 grise. 



RED LEGGED. Tetrao rufus~La perdrix rouge. 



The latter has been of late years brought from the 

 continent, and is now (as I before observed) plentiful 

 on the estates of lords Hertford and Rendlesham in 

 Suffolk. 



The red legged partridges are fond of warm dry 

 soil ; and, from this circumstance, they are, in flavour, 

 rather inferior to the common ones. Although called 

 " French partridges," these birds are scarcely known 

 in many parts of Normandy and Picardy, where the 

 common partridge (like ours) is the only one com- 

 monly to be met with. In France they prefer the 

 vine countries, for the sake of a warm sandy soil ; 

 but in Spain, Portugal, and the Southern parts of 

 Europe, they are universally diffused. 



I remember, at the early part of the Peninsular 

 war, getting some excellent shooting, at these birds 

 on the march between Castello Branco and Pla- 

 centia ; where, had there been time to follow a day's 

 sport, the quantity killed might have been immense. 



Red legged partridges will congregate in packs, 

 perch on hedges, and, if wounded, often go to earth. 



To kill them, you must press them hard to take 

 wing, or they will run out of shot before they rise ; 



