TETRAONIDJE. 317 



hatched hy the end of June, but occasionally they 

 are much later. There is a note in the ' Zoologist ' 

 of a brood being hatched as late as the 1st of Sep- 

 tember, but such an extreme case as this must be in 

 consequence of some accident having happened to 

 the first nest or brood, and consequently a second 

 nest has been made. 



The Partridge is too well-known, and too often 

 seen both alive and at poulterers' shops, to need any 

 description. I may mention, however, that varieties 

 occasionally occur : I saw a pied one at Mrs. Turle's 

 shop that had been shot at Lord Taunton's, and one 

 is described in the * Zoologist' for 1864 as being 

 marked precisely the same as an ordinary bird, but 

 the colouring was many shades paler throughout 

 and inclining to a buff or creamy tint : this is exactly 

 the same sort of variety as the so-called " Bohemian 

 Pheasant," and is not an uncommon variety in many 

 species : I have seen it occur in a Hedgesparrow, a 

 Woodcock, and a Snipe, as well as in the Partridge 

 and Pheasant. 



The egg of the Partridge is like that of the Phea- 

 sant in colour and shape, but is of course consider- 

 ably smaller. 



QUAIL, Coturnix vulgaris. This little miniature 

 Partridge occasionally occurs in the county, some- 

 times in considerable numbers. Although generally 

 considered a migratory species, on the continent of 

 Europe it migrates in immense numbers, arriving 



SE 3 



