THE COLOURS OF PARTRIDGES 59 
birds ‘had been induced by food, looking at the 
almost perfect grouse-like colour, especially of the 
male.’ 
Mr. J. E. Harting has recorded the occurrence of 
a similar bird in Northumberland, and others, which 
must apparently be referred to the same variety, were 
secured by the late Mr. John Hancock. ‘A remark- 
able feature in the colour of this variety,’ wrote Mr. 
Hancock, ‘is the entire absence of the grey ash tint 
that so agreeably diversifies the neutral colouring of 
the normal plumage. The whole of the head and 
neck is of a pale buff or chestnut, similar to that of 
the front of the head and neck of the ordinary bird ; 
the upper parts are a dark red-brown, each feather 
having the shaft pale and the extremity with a large 
spot of obscure white ; the upper tail coverts are pale 
chestnut like the head, with dark brown bands ; the 
tail feathers are of the same chestnut colour, but 
darker than those of the normal bird ; the under-tail 
coverts are brown clouded with darker colour. The 
whole of the under parts is of a uniform dark chestnut 
colour, as if the usual horse-shoe mark had been 
extended ; on the breast in front, where this dark 
brown meets the pale chestnut or buff on the neck, it 
is not abruptly defined, but breaks into it irregularly ; 
the thighs are pale obscure buff, and so are the feathers 
