PARTRIDGES IN THE FIELDS 



be, it does not cover up all places completely.' So 

 the bird struggles on in times of hardship, burrowing 

 in the snow and gleaning an existence from many wild 

 seeds. He is somewhat of a dainty feeder upon 

 occasion, relishing the pupae of ants when obtainable, 

 as well as every variety of the insect host that comes 

 in its way. Slugs and worms, grasshoppers and the 

 grubs of burrowing beetles, flies and other winged 

 creatures vary the diet of the partridge according to 

 the nature of the season and the choice of locality. 

 Besides, it has a liking for young fresh shoots, such 

 as it finds readily enough about the banks of the older 

 hedgerows. So if a covey of birds are not employed 

 in picking the aphides that cluster on the under- 

 surface of the leaves of the turnips, you may hazard 

 a guess that they are botanising on their own account, 

 gathering what John Evelyn calls ' those incomparable 

 sallads of young herbs, taken out of the maws of 

 partridges at a certain season of the year,' which give 

 them a preparation far exceeding all the art of cookery. 

 Later in the summer they levy toll on the ripening 

 berries of wild plants, gather the seeds of the weeds 

 whose presence harasses the farmer : tender green 

 shoots of heather, whortle berries and those of the 

 ground brambles are easily partaken of when their 

 turn comes. The partridge is a careful gleaner, and 



