THE PARTRIDGE AT HOME AND ABROAD 13 
wherever they were suffered to exist. Some thirteen 
years ago a Christchurch friend of ours was taking a 
country walk near Oxford, when a beautiful hen 
harrier singled out a fine partridge and struck it down 
dead at his feet. Similarly, the kite must have 
accounted for a few young partridges in the days 
when kites were common in this country, to judge 
from the pertinacity with which we have seen a fine 
red kite hovering morning after morning over a field 
in which a covey of young partridges lay concealed. 
Doubtless the young of all the game-birds are 
much exposed to enemies, both furred and feather, 
during the first few days of their existence. The 
bravery with which the helpless chicks are defended 
from their enemies by their parents—be the odds 
against them what they may—will always claim 
a certain share of admiration. This feeling is 
strengthened by the pacific appearance of the par- 
tridge, which possesses a larger modicum of courage 
and of self-devotion than those who know little of 
its habits might be inclined to give it credit for. 
