434 RASORES. PERDIX. Partridge. 



This well-known species of game is abundant throughout, 

 the kingdom, except in some of the mountainous and moory 

 wastes in the northern counties of England, and in the High- 

 lands of Scotland, the peculiar localities of the preceding 

 genus. — Districts well interspersed with arable land are the 

 most favourable to the habits and economy of the Partridge ; 

 thus, an extended cultivation, which has rendered many of 

 our British birds comparatively rare, and has caused indeed 

 the extinction or banishment of some, has tended greatly to 

 its increase ; and we accordingly find the species most plenti- 

 ful, where agriculture has received the greatest encourage- 

 ment, and attained the highest perfection. The Partridge 

 begins to pair in February, and at this season obstinate con- 

 tests occur between the males for the possession of the other 

 sex. The female seldom produces her eggs before the latter 

 part of May, and the greater portion of the young break the 

 shell about the middle of July. 

 Eggs. The eggs are deposited on the ground in a shallow hole 

 scratched for the purpose, and under cover of a tuft of grass, 

 whin-bush, or other brush-wood ; and not unfrequently in 

 fields of clover, or amongst standing corn. They amount to 

 from twelve to twenty, of a pale wood-brown colour. 



Incubation, which occupies three weeks, is performed solely 

 by the female, who sits very closely, and is with difficulty 

 driven from her eggs. Montagu mentions an instance, in 

 which a Partridge, on the point of hatching, was taken, to- 

 gether with her eggs, and carried in a hat to some distance ; 

 she continued to sit, and brought out her young in confine- 

 ment. Several other parallel cases are related, and some not 

 very dissimilar have come under my own observation. As 

 soon as the young are excluded, the male bird joins the covey, 

 and displays equal anxiety with the female for their support 

 and defence. There can be few persons conversant with 

 country affairs who have not witnessed the confusion pro- 

 duced in a brood of young Partridges by any sudden alarm ; 

 or who have not admired the stratagems to which the parent 



