208 THE BIRDS OF DEVOX. 



have occurred near Ivingsuridge (Pv. P. X., Zool. 1875, p. 4690), In 1877, 

 !Mr. Webber, auctioneer, Silverton, showed us in the Hesh a buff vaiiety. 

 One perfectly white was shot at Drascombe Parm, near Drewsteignton, 

 Sept. 12, 1881. A specimen with white (luill-fcathers occurred at Pij-- 

 mouth, Oct. 27th, 1886 (J. (i., Zool 1887, p. 377). On Oct. 14th, 1886, 

 Mr. E. A. S. Elliot obtained a young female with white " horse-shoe " on 

 breast. Old females are frequently thus marked in the Kingsbridge 

 district. 



It is singular that the further north one goes the smaller becomes the 

 Partridge, whereas with the lied Game the reverse is noted, the Eed 

 Grouse of Yorkshire being less in size than the average tenants of the 

 Highland Moors. 



Doth Partridges and Eed Grouse have from time to time been turned 

 down on Lundy Island, only to be devoured by the rats. On Skomer 

 Island, a very similar island to Lundy, and no very great distance from it, 

 there is an excellent head of Partridges, owing, no doubt, to the absence 

 of these vermin. On the Scilly Isles Partridges have occasionally been 

 introduced, but soon disappear. 



It is well known how courageous the Partridge is in the nesting-season, 

 and in the defence of her young brood. We have seen a hen Partridge 

 sitting on her nest on a railway embankment within a foot or so of the 

 metals, and remaining undisturbed when the frequent trains rattled by. 

 Once, when driving in a lane, we came suddenly on a Partridge with her 

 lately-hatched chicks in the middle of the road ; while these scuttled into 

 the herbage by the side of the hedge, their devoted parent confronted and 

 flew at our pony, and followed us some few yards in a most defiant 

 manner. 



We were one daj' sailing on the Torridge, a short distance above Instow, 

 ■when a covey of Partridges suddenly flew off the land, and settled on the 

 water in front of our boat. The tide was high, and we were (juite two 

 hundred yards from the shore. We actually bagged one of the birds 

 Avhile it was floating on the water, as we had a gun, being after Duck at 

 the time. After our shot, the rest of the birds rose from the water and 

 returned to the land. We felt pretty certain that a Hawk had startled 

 the covey, and had occasioned this precipitate rush towards the river. 



The Ped-leggcd Partridge is said occasionally to perch on trees, but it 

 is quite foreign to the habits of the Grey Partridge to do so. One day, 

 however, when we were shooting on a precipitous hillside at Lee, near 

 Ilfraccmbe, we saw a Partridge, one of a covey we had flushed, fly into 

 an oak and ])erch on one of the boughs, whence it was put out and shot. 



A wet summer, when there are numerous thunderstorms throughout 

 June, is fatal to the young broods, which are cither drowned or perish 

 from cramp occasioned by roosting and moving about in the wet herbage. 

 The manors will then be sadly bare of coveys when September arri\ es. 

 Put it is wonderful how rapidh' the stock recovers. Let there be a couple 

 of favourable hatching seasons, with warm sunshine, and the stubbles 

 will once more abound with this favourite bird. The most sought-for 

 food of the Partridge, from which in wet and cheerless summers it is 



