ORDER GRALLiE. 265 



is very great, and he never couples with a female that is not 

 paired, while his own is occupied in hatching. 



The female of this partridge does not take much trouble 

 in the construction of the nest. A few blades of grass, col- 

 lected in a hole of no great depth, and of indeterminate 

 form, are sufficient for her purpose. There she deposits from 

 fifteen to twenty eggs, of a yellowish colour, tinted with 

 greenish, without any spot. The partridge sits for three 

 weeks. During this time the male never removes to any 

 distance from the nest. He acts as a sentinel to warn and 

 defend the female from the dangers which may threaten her. 

 The little ones can run immediately on their exclusion from 

 the egg, which takes place towards the end of June. Then the 

 male and female unite to conduct the covey, which she often 

 shelters under her wings. She exposes herself with intrepidity 

 and courage to defend them, and often employs considerable 

 address for this purpose. She will present herself before the 

 dogs which pursue them, trailing her wings, counterfeiting 

 lameness, and flying only just so far as not to be taken, but 

 not far enough to make the fowler despair of the chase. A 

 little after the male rises, the female flies ofi^ in another direc- 

 tion, alights at a sufficient distance, and returns, running very 

 fast, to her little ones, which she reassembles by a peculiar cry. 

 The family thus live united until the following April. 



The partridges live on insects, especially during their early 

 age ; afterwards they feed on grains, corn especially, which 

 they know very well how to get out when the earth is covered 

 with snow. 



The Guernsey, sometimes called the Red Partridge, is a 

 little more bulky than the last, and its flesh is in greater 

 estimation. This species is considerably extended in the South 

 of France and in Italy ; but, according to M. Temminck, is 

 never seen in Germany, Switzerland, or the north of France. 

 There have been some vain attempts made to cause it to mul- 

 tiply in Bohemia, where pheasants have been brought to 



