48 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE PARTRIDGE 



owner, finding that the chicks responded well to the 

 clucking of the hen, and would also readily run 

 together to be fed in answer to his own call, they 

 were allowed to enter a garden with their adopted 

 parent. Enjoying a more ample and varied supply of 

 food than would probably have fallen to their share 

 in a wild state, the birds matured beautifully, and 

 were full-grown by the middle of August. About 

 the end of July, the attachment between the hen and 

 her charges began to wane. The partridges exhibited 

 no uneasiness at being separated from the bantam. 

 They continued to obey the call of their owner until 

 the end of August, when they frequently strayed to a 

 greater distance than his voice carried. On these 

 occasions they would visit the neighbouring fields for 

 several hours at a time, but would return with a 

 sudden rush into the courtyard, making two or three 

 excursions into the surrounding country during the 

 day, until the middle of September. At length a 

 day of unusual warmth and beauty came. The 

 morning was hazy, but about ten the sun burst out 

 with unusual splendour, while huge volumes of mist 

 rolled away in silvery grandeur, rising high into the 

 glowing atmosphere. It was then that the partridges, 

 which had been fed at 8 a.m., clustered together, 

 fluttered their wings, made a soft duch-cluck-ducking 



