THE PARTRIDGE. 37 



puny, sickly race ; and the individuals seldom outlive the rig- 

 ours of the winter; 



It is said that those partridges which are hatched under a 

 domestic hen, retain through life the habit of catting when they 

 hear the clucking of hens. 



The partridge, even when reared by the hand, soon neglects 

 those who have the care of it ; and shortly after its full growth, 

 always estranges itself from the house where it was bred. This 

 will almost invariably be its conduct, however intimately it may 

 have connected itself with the place and inhabitants in the early 

 part of its existence. Among the very few instances of the 

 partridge's remaining tame, was that of one reared by the Rev. 

 Mr. Bird. This, long after its full growth, attended the par- 

 lour at breakfast arid other times, received food from any hand 

 that gave it, and stretched itself before the fire and seemed 

 much to enjoy the warmth. At length, it fell a victim to the 

 decided foe of all favourite birds, a cat. 



On the farm of Lion Hall, in Essex, belonging to Colonel 

 Hawker, a partridge, in the year 1788, formed her nest, and 

 hatched sixteen eggs on the top of a pollard oak tree* What 

 renders this circumstance more remarkable is, that the tree had 

 fastened to it the bars of a stile, where there was a footpath ; 

 and the passengers in going over, discovered and disturbed her 

 before she sat close. When the brood was hatched, they 

 scrambled down the short and rough boughs, which grew out all 

 around from the trunk of the tree, and reached the ground in 

 safety. 



In the year 1798, the following occurrence took place at 

 East Dean, in Sussex, which will tend to prove that partridges 

 have no powers of migration. A covey of sixteen partridges 

 being routed by some men at plough, directed their flight across 

 the cliff to the sea, over which they continued their course about 

 three hundred yards. Either intimidated or otherwise affected 



