PABTBIDGE. 215 



of as many as thirty or forty, especially in wild and open 

 parts of the country. Single survivors of other coveys are 

 taken into the community. Partridges are easily tamed to 

 a certain extent, so as even to take food from the hands 

 of strangers, and have been known to lay in confinement. 

 Sir Thomas Maryon Wilson, Bart., had seven or eight young 

 ones reared in his aviary at Charlton, in the summer of 

 1842. Part of a brood of young ones brought up under a 

 hen, after having been set at liberty a mile off, have been 

 known to return and be fed by the person who before had 

 had the care of them during the winter months. An anecdote 

 is related in the 'Zoologist,' pages 1601-2, by Arthur Hussey, 

 Esq., of Rottingdean, of one which, having been brought 

 up from about a day old, became most thoroughly tame. 

 Another evinced great personal attachment to a lady, and 

 would sit for hours on the back of her chair, and roost 

 near the head of her bed at night, never failing to shew 

 every symptom of distress and concern during her occasional 

 absences. If alarmed, the Partridge, proverbial for timidity, 

 cowers down, or runs off with great rapidity, as it may be 

 likewise seen to do in pursuit of its companions; or, if closely 

 pressed, takes wing. 



In their flight, which is strong and rather quick, they 

 gradually rise to a little height, and then fly off in a direct 

 course, with a loud 'whirr' the effect of the quick pulsation 

 of the wings. At the end of a long flight, after being alarmed, 

 they finish in a sailing manner, and alight sidelong. In feeding, 

 the back is arched up, and if alarmed the head is raised 

 erect, and thus it walks about, till, if need be, it runs along, 

 and then takes wing. If they lie close it is very difficult to 

 see them. 



They feed in the mornings and evenings, and live on grain, 

 beans, and seeds, worms, caterpillars, beetles, and other insects, 

 as also in times of scarcity on turnip tops and roots, young 

 clover, or probably any tender leaves: the young are at first 

 fed with insects ants and their eggs especially, if there are 

 any to be met with. The Partridge must do far more good 

 than harm, devouring immense numbers of noxious insects, 

 wireworms and others, as well as the seeds of injurious plants; 

 at the same time some injury is caused by their scratching 

 and picking up grains of newly-sown wheat, and eating the 

 young green, shoots that have come up. They suffer much 

 in times of deep snow from want of food. In the summer 



