102 EGYPTIAN BIRDS 
Greece, amongst others—Partridges are kept for 
this special purpose of fighting for the delectation 
of their owners, and though I am not aware of 
this little sportsman, the Sand Partridge, having 
been kept for this purpose, I am sure if it was 
it would not disgrace the traditions of its family, 
for a more pugnacious little bird than it never 
walked. The males have a peculiar habit of 
standing ever and anon quite upright puffing out 
all their breast feathers, so that they display all 
the beauty of their rich chestnut and black-barred 
plumage. The naturalists have discovered that in 
certain districts the birds all have a white spot 
over the beak on the forehead, and to this variety is 
given the name of Cholmondely’s Sand Partridge, 
whilst the other type, with only one white spot 
behind the eye on the cheeks, is known as Hey’s 
Sand Partridge. Here, as in the case of most 
birds, the description of the plumage is taken 
from the male bird, the female nearly always being 
very much more sober coloured. This cannot too 
often be repeated, as not recognizing this fact 
often leads to mistake ; and again, in the matter of 
the measurements of the birds, the size given is 
that of the average bird, for in almost all birds you 
get larger or smaller individuals, and that veteran 
