OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS. 59 



nabits. — in many of its habits this handsome Partridge differs considerably 

 from the preceding species. It is much more arboreal in its tastes, and shows a 

 decided preference for rougher ground, such as commons, the open, treeless parts 

 of woods, and strips of heathy land covered with gorse and rush and bramble. 

 Nevertheless, it is met with quite commonly on the fields in haunts affected by 

 its British ally, but is always even more skulking, and ever tries to run and 

 hide amongst the cover rather than use its wings. Another pecularity sure to be 

 impressed upon the observer is the bird's habit of frequently perching in trees, on 

 corn-stacks, or on hedges and fences ; whilst during snowstorms it often quits the 

 open fields entirely, and seeks shelter amongst bushes and brushwood. It is a 

 shy and wary bird, ever on the watch for danger, craning out its neck and 

 peering in all directions at the least alarm, and continuing to do so as it runs 

 quickly towards the cover. It flies well and strongly, with rapidly beating wings 

 which make a loud, whirring noise, whilst on the ground it is capable of running 

 with amazing speed. The note of the Eed-legged Partridge is a shrill treble 

 crih-ik-ik, which is said to be common to both sexes. Its food is not known to 

 differ in any important respect from that of the Common Partridge, and its habits 

 from the time the broods are reared, onwards through the autumn, are very 

 similar. It lives in coveys, which sometimes join into flocks, but which soon 

 scatter when alarmed, each bird making off to some refuge. In consequence of 

 this peculiarity, the Eed-legged Partridge affords poor sport. It will not lie close 

 in the cover until flushed by the gunner, but is ever on the run, so that driving 

 is absolutely necessary to obtain a decent bag. 



Nidification. — The Eed-legged Partridge pairs early in April, sometimes 

 towards the end of March, and during this period it becomes rather pugnacious, 

 and combats are of frequent occurrence between the cock-birds. The female goes 

 to nest rather earlier than the Common Partridge, the eggs usually being laid 

 towards the end of April, or early in May. The nest is slovenly and slight, placed 

 amongst the dense herbage of a hedge bottom or a dry ditch, or amongst growing 

 grain, clover, or mowing grass. Sometimes it is placed amongst the thatch of a 

 stack, or even in the side, and not unfrequently in a very exposed situation by 

 the side of a footpath or highway. It is merely a hollow into which a few bits of 

 dry herbage and leaves are scraped. Here the hen lays from twelve to eighteen 

 eggs, pale brownish-yellow in ground-colour, spotted and speckled with dark 

 brown. They measure on an average 1'6 inch in length by 1'2 inch in breadth. 

 Very often the hen lays at irregular intervals. Incubation, which is performed 

 by the female, lasts about twenty-four days. As soon as the brood is hatched 

 the male assists his mate in bringing up the chicks. Eggs of the Pheasant and 

 the Common Partridge are occasionally found in the nest of this species. I have 

 known instances where the Eed-legged Partridge has destroyed an entire brood of 

 the Common Partridge ; and, in spite of oft-repeated statements to the contrary. 



