THE COMMON PARTRIDGE. 167 



ing meadows, slowly advancing step by step, 

 examining every tuft of grass, and patiently 

 " darning " the field for hours together ? Be as- 

 sured for nothing but worms and insects. And 

 then what myriads of that scourge, the wireworm,* 

 do they not consume ! 



For nine months of the year they are thus use- 

 fully employed, and if you were to kill and dissect 

 a pheasant during that period, the contents of his 

 crop would satisfy you that his condemnation is 

 unjust, and that, on the whole, he is rather the 

 friend than the foe of the agriculturist.f 



The common partridge (Perdix cinerea) is 



* This destructive insect is the larva of one of the click- 

 beetles (Elater segetis). 



f How much it is to be regretted that the study of En- 

 tomology has not been rendered more subservient to practi- 

 cal purposes by those who have devoted their time and 

 talents to this fascinating pursuit ! But there is no rule 

 without an exception. Witness the recent publication of 

 the * Letters of Rusticus of Godalming,' under the able 

 editorship of Mr. Newman. With much valuable matter 

 relative to other branches of Natural History, tin's work 

 contains by far the best account extant of those insects 

 which are injurious to vegetation, and known by the name 

 of " blight ; " while the descriptions are not less remark- 

 able for their accuracy than for their popular style and 

 graphic power. Every farmer as well as naturalist ought 

 to possess this interesting volume. 



