48 PARTRIDGES 



more than an hour or so before noon, each 

 subsequent egg being laid a little later in 

 the day. 



The eggs as laid are covered carefully 

 with leaves and grass, which saves them 

 from late frosts, and most effectually con- 

 ceals the nest. When laying is finished, 

 the birds proceed to arrange the nest for 

 incubation, now placing the leaves and 

 grass under the eggs, which are then 

 neatly arranged in circles. During the 

 two days or so that they are thus engaged, 

 partridges are, for some reason, peculiarly 

 sensitive to any disturbance, and will 

 desert altogether if interfered with in any 

 way. The hen sits for three weeks, and 

 like others of the gallinaceous tribe is able 

 to secrete her natural scent while sitting, 

 which serves to protect her from her many 

 foes. This loss of scent is probably in 

 some measure due to the fact that the 

 feathers are all pressed close to the body 

 of the bird, for the scent returns to some 

 extent shortly before hatching, when the 

 hen ruffles out her feathers. 



