170 THE PARTRIDGE 



banks, or under the great oak trees by the 

 lane, they even ventured to peck at the insects 

 their sharp eyes detected alighting on the flanks 

 of the recumbent animals. But during the 

 twilight they loved to frequent sequestered 

 spots not far from chosen sleeping-places, and in 

 peace to feed and prepare for the night. While 

 thus engaged, each foraging apart, but within 

 easy distance of the parent birds, the chicks were 

 keenly attentive to every occurrence in their 

 immediate neighbourhood, and, as at night, were 

 extremely liable to panic and its attendant long- 

 continued distress. 



A sportsman whose " preserve " is small, and 

 who shoots partridges over dogs, knows well 

 that if the disappointment of a blank day is 

 to be avoided the birds must be left unmolested 

 in the early morning and the late afternoon. 

 Nothing more certainly causes partridges to 

 become unapproachable, and finally migrate to 

 distant farms, than the habit which inexperi- 

 enced men possess in beginning their sport 

 soon after dawn and relinquishing it only when 

 dusk veils the countryside. 



Years ago, circumstances illustrating forcibly 

 the truth of this came under my notice. Through 

 the courtesy of a farmer owning and living on a 

 small freehold, I was allowed to ramble with dog 

 and gun about a sunny hillside overlooking his 



