THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE RED- 

 LEGGED PARTRIDGE 



The Red-legged Partridge, like the Pheasant, is 

 not indigenous to this country. Both have been 

 introduced, though one of them existed here many 

 centuries before the other. Of the Pheasant 

 [Pkasianus colchicus) we are only able to say that 

 we are indebted for it to the Romans, but the exact 

 date of its introduction is unknown. Of the Red- 

 legged Partridge we are enabled to speak with 

 greater precision ; for, thanks to the records of 

 some of the older writers on British ornithology, 

 we can point to a period when it was unknown 

 here, and can even fix approximately the date of its 

 introduction. Further than this, it may be de- 

 monstrated that the birds which are now scattered 

 over various parts of England, chiefly in the east 

 and south-east, are not the descendants of one 

 ancient original stock, but have become dispersed 

 from several different centres of introduction. 

 Four or five such centres at least may be indicated, 

 and will be presently mentioned ; but it will be 

 convenient, in the first place, to refer very briefly to 

 the period when the Red-legged Partridge was 

 quite unknown here. 



Sir Thomas Browne, in his account of Norfolk 

 H 113 



