268 BRITISH LAND BIRDS. 



brought up under a hen ; the young brood 

 exhibiting the greatest tameness arid familiarity. 

 To the woman who fed them they showed a 

 particular partiality, and would come at her call, 

 and follow her about, close at her heels, nor leave 

 her, so long as she remained in the garden, where 

 they were kept. If not attended to as usual, they 

 would come and peck with their beaks at the 

 window of the room she sat in, and from which 

 they were usually fed. As the season advanced, 

 several of them strayed away ; but four remained 

 constant up to the month of August, until at 

 length they too disappeared for a day and a half, 

 and it was supposed had quite departed. How- 

 ever, on the afternoon of the second day a tapping 

 at the window was heard, and there were the four 

 partridges again. The mistress opened the sash 

 of the window, when they immediately flew lip 

 at her, and fluttered about her face and breast, in 

 an unusual manner. Then, alighting on the 

 ground, they merely picked a few grains of the 

 corn she threw to them, and flew away. It was 

 evident they had not come for food ; it was a fare- 

 well visit, just to say " Good-bye ! thanks for all 

 your kindness ; we are now off." They returned 

 no more. 



The partridge is decidedly a friend to the 

 fanner, probably as much so as the pheasant. His 



