334 Tetraonidce. 



that there was no lack of choice of such position as Partridges 

 are wont to select for their nurseries. Neither could it have been 

 from any motive of protection from inclement weather and rude 

 winds (which not unfrequently prevail on these downs) that the 

 Partridge was led to this strange choice, for the nest was placed 

 on the north-east side of the stack. Colonel Hawker gives an 

 account of a Partridge's nest on a pollard tree, and Yarrell quotes 

 another instance from Daniel's ' Rural Sports/ of a nest in an oak 

 pollard ; but with these exceptions I have'never heard of this bird 

 varying so much from the usual habits of its species in its choice 

 of a place for nidification. In France it is Perdrix grise ; in 

 Germany, Graues Feldhuhn ; in Italy, Starna; in Sweden, Rapp- 

 Hona. 'Partridge,' says Professor Skeat is from the Latin 

 perdix, perhaps so named from its cry. 



130. RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE (Perdix rubra). 



It is our good fortune in Wiltshire to know but little of this 

 bird, which has been encouraged in some districts of England, 

 and has ended in driving away its more valuable congener, with 

 which in flavour of flesh it is not to be compared. It is a hand- 

 some species, and is common in France and the south of Europe 

 generally. I found it very abundant in Spain and Portugal, the 

 markets, which I used to frequent daily in search of rare birds, 

 being always well-stocked with them. In habits it resembles 

 P. cinerea. A few stragglers from time to time have made their 

 way into Wiltshire. The Rev. G. Marsh recorded their capture 

 at Winterslow, and the specimen in his collection, now at Salis- 

 bury, was killed at Draycot Park. Another was killed at Winter- 

 bourne Monkton by my neighbour, the late Mr. John Brown, in 

 whose possession I have frequently seen the specimen. More- 

 over, a curious instance was brought to my notice by Mr. Bull, 

 of Devizes, of this species and the Common Partridge laying 

 their eggs in the same nest, from which he extracted one of each 

 sort that I might identity them. In like manner in South 

 Wilts a straggler appears from time to time. The Rsv. A. P. 



