60 WILD NATURE'S WAYS. 



instance of the love of an odd nesting situation 

 apparently outweighing maternal affection. 



The red-legged or French partridge, as it is 

 also called, was introduced into England some 

 two hundred years ago, but has never gained a 

 footing either in Scotland or Ireland. It is 

 generally supposed to be inimical to the interests 

 of its British representative, which it is said to 

 drive away. As if anxious to refute this accusa- 

 tion, a bird of either species laid in the same 

 nest, and commenced to share the labours of 

 incubation side by side with sisterly amiability 

 in Essex last spring. My brother journeyed a 

 long way in order to secure pictorial records of 

 this unique sight, but, unfortunately, a disastrous 

 flood robbed him by an ace of his opportunity of 

 doing more than show the nest and eggs after 

 the water had subsided. 



An uncle of mine living in the North of England 

 once found a nest full of eggs belonging to a red 

 grouse and a common partridge. The former 

 bird took entire possession, and hatched off all 

 the young. 



The red-legged partridge's eggs figured on the 

 previous page were photographed in the spring of 

 1901, and although the inverted flower-pot was 

 situated in a kitchen garden surrounded by a 

 flint wall, the parent bird speedily conducted her 

 downy family under a small wicket-gate and 



