270 BRITISH LAND BIRDS. 



distress, and throws himself in the way of the 

 intruder, and by every stratagem endeavours to 

 attract attention from the young, so as to give the 

 female time to carry off the brood in safety. 

 Many are the notes and records of the cunning 

 and ingenuity shown by them on these occasions. 

 One female, being surprised on her nest, when 

 she had laid only four eggs, was evidently aware that 

 she had been discovered, and covered the nest very 

 carefully with dead hedge-leaves and dry twigs, 

 which she removed every morning to deposit an 

 additional egg, afterwards concealing them again 

 in the same manner ; and so artfully was this done 

 that none but an experienced eye could have 

 known it from an unused nest of the former year. 

 This occurred in 1840. The same person who 

 witnessed this case, says that one day in August 

 1844, he surprised a covey of young partridges, 

 when one of the parent birds, in the most bold 

 and determined manner, refused to quit the spot 

 for some time, and actually made an attack upon 

 his legs. Mr. Jessie says : " A farmer discovered 

 a partridge sitting on its eggs, in a grass field. 

 The bird allowed him to pass his hand frequently 

 down its back, without moving or showing any 

 fear. But if he offered to touch the sggs, the poor 

 bird immediately pecked his hand." 



Partridges, as a delicious article of food, have 



