48 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE PARTRIDGE 
owner, finding that the chicks responded well to the 
clucking of the hen, and would also readily run 
together to be fed in answer to his own call, they 
were allowed to enter a garden with their adopted 
parent. Enjoying a more ample and varied supply of 
food than would probably have fallen to their share 
in a wild state, the birds matured beautifully, and 
were full-grown by the middle of August. About 
the end of July, the attachment between the hen and 
her charges began to wane. The partridges exhibited 
no uneasiness at being separated from the bantam. 
They continued to obey the call of their owner until 
the end of August, when they frequently strayed toa 
greater distance than his voice carried. On these 
occasions they would visit the neighbouring fields for 
several hours at a time, but would return with a 
sudden rush into the courtyard, making two or three _ 
excursions into the surrounding country during the 
day, until the middle of September. At length a 
day of unusual warmth and beauty came. The 
morning was hazy, but about ten the sun burst out 
with unusual splendour, while huge volumes of mist 
rolled away in silvery grandeur, rising high into the 
glowing atmosphere. It was then that the partridges, 
which had been fed at 8 a.m., clustered together, 
fluttered their wings, made a soft cluck-cluck-clucking 
