PARTRIDGES PHEASANT. 



partridges," these birds are scarcely known in many 

 parts of Normandy and Picardy, where the common 

 partridge (like ours) is the only one commonly to be 

 met with. In France they prefer the vine countries, 

 for the sake of a warm sandy soil ; but in Spain, Por- 

 tugal, and the Southern parts of Europe, they are uni- 

 versally diffused. 



I remember, at the early part of the Peninsular war, 

 getting some excellent shooting at these birds on the 

 march between Castello Branco aad Placentia ; where, 

 had there been time to follow a day's sport, the quantity 

 killed might have been immense. 



Red legged partridges will congregate in packs, 

 perch on hedges, and, if wounded, often go to earth. 



To kill them, you must press them hard to take wing, 

 or they will run out of shot before they rise ; and for 

 this reason, they are apt to spoil your dogs. Red 

 legged partridges being constantly on the run, are dif- 

 ficult to disperse ; but by means of heading them, with 

 men on horseback, their coveys, or packs, may be 

 divided, and this being once done, they will lie like 

 stones. 



PHEASANTS. Phasianus colchicus Lefaisan. 



Besides the common pheasant, there are now in pre- 

 served coverts, as well as aviaries, other beautiful kinds, 

 which have been mostly brought from China ; viz. the 

 golden pheasant; silver or pied pheasant, &c. ; and 

 also two varieties of the common one, the one of which 

 is precisely like it, except having a white ring round 

 the neck, from which it is distinguished by the name 

 of ring pheasant ; and the other of pure white, which 

 I had (it appears erroneously) supposed to be a mule 



