THE COMMON PARTRIDGE. 221 



The Partridges (^*), also, well pleas'd came to 

 court, 

 Secure, as they hoped, both from Sportsmen and 

 Sport. 



(36) Order, Galling, (Linn.) Partridge, Grouse, Quail, 

 Ptarmigan, Tinamou, &c. 



The genus Tetrao, (Linn.) under which the Partridge, 

 Grouse, &c. are arranged, consists of more than one hundred 

 and thirty species, scattered over various parts of the world ; 

 several of them are inhabitants of this country. The general 

 character of the tribe is iiaving, near the eye, a spot which is 

 either naked or papillous, or, rarely, covered with feathers. It 

 has also been tlius subdivided : — Grouse having tiie spot over 

 the eye naked; legs downy; feet in some four, in some three, 

 toed. — Partridge and Quail, orbits granulated, legs naked; 

 the Partridges in the male armed with a spur at the legs; the 

 Quails destitute of a spur. — The Tinamou, orbits with a few 

 feathers, legs naked, four toed, unarmed. Dr. Latham has 

 de&cribed fifteen species of the Tinamou (Tinamus), ninety-one 

 of the Partridge (Perdix), and twenty-seven of the Grouse 

 {Tetrao). The following are the chief species of this numerous 

 tribe. 



The Perdix, Partridge, or Common- Partridge, has under 

 the eyes a naked, scarlet spot; general colour of the plumage 

 cinereous brown and black mixed ; breast brown, tail ferrugi-, 

 nous, legs white. Several varieties,— greyish white— entirely, 

 white — collar white — body brown — chin and upper part of the 

 throat tawny. Inhabits Europe and Asia, and well known in 

 this country. Length thirteen inches ; frequents corn tields 

 and pastures ; feeds on corn, seeds, and insects ; lays from four- 

 teen to twenty or more* yellowish, or greenish grey, eggs, 

 rather smaller than a pigeon's; nest on the ground, in the dry 



h 



* I once saw a Partridge's nest with twenty-one egg3 in it. 



