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THE COMMON PARTRIDGE. 



Tetrao Peidrix, Linn^us ; La Perdrix grise, Buffon ; Das gememe Rebhuhn, 

 Bechstein. 



This well known bird, which is very fleshy, and has but 

 few feathers, measures twelve inches and a half. Its beak is 

 bluish, the feet brownish blush red ; under each eye is a 

 naked skin of a bright scarlet colour; the general colour of 

 the plumage is brown and ash grey, mixed with black ; the 

 forehead, a streak above the eyes, and the throat, are fine 

 chestnut brown ; the fore part of the neck and the breast are 

 ash grey, with, very fine black lines ; below the breast is a 

 deep chestnut brown streak in the shape of a horse shoe, which 

 is not found in the female, or at least not sO large nor so 

 clearly defined ; the quill-feathers are dusky, with cross bands 

 of rust red ; the tail-feathers are rust brown. 



Habitation. — The common partridge is found throughout Europe, in 

 fields and adjoining woods : when in the open country, thickets and bushes 

 serve as a retreat during the night. In wide plains, where the frosts are 

 severe, and the snow so deep that the game is in danger of perishing, it is 

 customary, in winter, to catch in a net as many as possible of these birds, 

 and keep them in a warmed room with a high ceiling. If such a room 

 cannot be had, the top of the room and windows should be hung with cloth, 

 to prevent the frightened birds from injuring themselves. 



Food. — In the house, when permitted to range, partridges may be fed on 

 barley and wheat. They will also eat bread, the common universal paste, 

 cabbage, beet, and lettuce ; for they like green vegetables, and these are 

 almost indispensable to their health. In a state of liberty, they generally 

 feed in winter on the tops of grass and young springing seeds. In the 

 summer, they eat clover and other green plants, as well as all kinds of 

 grain. They often roll in moist sand, which they should be allowed to do 

 in the house. 



Breeding. — The best way to domesticate the partridge, is to rear it 

 young, in which case it becomes extremely tame, and its habits are very 

 pleasing. These young birds must be fed at first on ants' eggs and hens' 

 eggs boiled hard and chopped up with salad ; afterwards they will eat 

 barley and other dry food. The covey often consists of twenty young ones, 

 •which follow the mother as soon as they are hatched, and often fall in the 

 way of mowers, shepherds, and huntsmen. I am persuaded that it would 

 not be diflScult to render these birds quite domestic, if the eggs were 

 hatched by our barn-door fowls, in an open, yet enclosed place, clipping the 

 wings of the young ones, allowing them to range, during the summer, in a 

 garden surrounded with walls, and giving them plenty of food. Supposing 

 that this plan did not quite succeed the first summer, one would have at 



