264 CLASS AVES. 



places ; they live in couples during the laying season, which 

 is the month of June. Perched upon a clod of earth, or a 

 bush of no great elevation, the male repeats his peculiar cry 

 many times in succession, which may be exactly represented 

 by the syllables tre-tari. If pursued, the francolin rises to 

 the height of about eight or nine feet, flies straight forward, 

 and proceeds to fix itself on another clump. If pursued 

 anew, it repeats precisely the same operation. If forced to 

 dislodge from its second post, it flies away no longer, but 

 runs along the ground with great rapidity, and conceals 

 itself in some thick bush, where it remains with so much 

 obstinacy that the dogs cannot oblige it to quit. 



The francolins are not very common birds either in Italy, 

 Sicily, or the Archipelago, which, however, are their usual 

 habitat. 



The Sanguine Pheasant (P. Cruentus) so named by 

 General Hardwicke, belongs to this division, and is described 

 at page 47. 



The Common or Grey Partridge lives in most of the tempe- 

 rate climates of Europe : it is not found in Norway or Lap- 

 land. It is rare on the coast of the Mediterranean, and not seen 

 in the Archipelago. It delights in champagne countries, where 

 it can find large meadows and corn fields. There it lives in 

 troops, usually called coveys. These partridges do not retire 

 into vineyards and coppices, unless when they are pursued ; 

 but they always return to sleep in the plains on the ground, 

 for they never perch. Their social state lasts until the month 

 of April. If the hunters pursue and separate the covey, 

 they soon hear the rallying cry, and instantly reassemble. 

 On the commencement of spring, the partridges pair. Then 

 begin desperate combats between the males, in which the 

 females not unfrequently join. 



When a couple are once united, they return to occupy 

 themselves with the care of their new family. Though the male 

 does not partake the incubation, his fidelity to his companion 



