118 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



legged Partridge, which is by no means a common bird in the 

 county, but which is gradually extending its range westward. 

 Mr. Smith expresses satisfaction at its scarcity, because he 

 believes that its encouragement in some districts of England has 

 ended in driving away its more valuable congener, the Grey 

 Partridge ; but although we have often heard this statement 

 made, we have had no personal experience of the fact. On the 

 contrary, we have so often found the two species together in 

 the same field of roots during the shooting season, and have 

 so frequently heard of their laying in the same nest (one such 

 case is mentioned in the book before us), that we entertain a 

 better opinion of the " Red-leg " than it is said to deserve. 

 Every sportsmen, of course, knows how these birds will run 

 on being approached, and how sorely on this account they try 

 the patience of men and dogs ; but every experienced Partridge 

 shooter must also admit that when, later in the season, recourse 

 is had to " driving," the Red-legs show undeniable sport. On 

 this account, if on no other, we would discourage the destruction 

 of their eggs, which some people choose to advocate. We fail, 

 moreover, to note the alleged inferiority of flavour which this 

 bird is said to possess in comparison with the Grey Partridge. 

 "When both are roasted the difference is certainly perceptible; 

 but in a properly made game-pie, or stewed with celery, or in a 

 salmi aux champignons, the Eed-leg is a game-bird not by any 

 means to be despised. 



But to return to our author. We can scarcely say that we 

 are disappointed at finding no evidence to support a previously 

 made assertion that the Curlew (Numenius arquata) breeds on the 

 Wiltshire Downs ; for we have long ago recorded our dissent from 

 such a view (' Zoologist,' 1877, p. 38), and expressed the opinion 

 that the bird in question must be the Stone Curlew, CEdicnemus 

 crepitans. But inasmuch as the Rev. A. P. Morres, of Britford 

 Vicarage, Salisbury, professed to have good reasons for believing 

 the story to be true (' Zoologist,' 1877, p. 106), we have been 

 content to wait for satisfactory proof, and in search of it have 

 naturally turned to the volume before us. But the author, although 

 quoting Mr. Morres's views, admits that he himself has "no 

 positive proof to bring forward," and has unaccountably over- 

 looked the more recently published statement by Mr. Morres in 

 one of a series of articles on " Birds in the Neighbourhood 



