PAETPJDGES. 413 



said, they do not now leave their parents, but continue to live 

 with them in the closest alliance until February or March, at 

 which time they separate in order to pair off. At this time, also, 

 the union of the father and mother comes to an end, and thej' 

 generally form a fresh alliance. 



Partridges are of a shy and timid nature, which shows itself in 

 many waj^s. Nor are their suspicious fears unjustifiable, when it 

 is remembered how numerous are their foes, for foxes and birds of 

 prey make continual and unsparing war upon them. The latter 

 especiallj' are particularly dreaded. At the mere sight of one of 

 the Falcon tribe a Partridge will stop as though struck with 

 stupor, and so overcome with fear as almost to be incapable of 

 concealing itself, remaining absolutely immovable ; and it is not 

 until the dreaded enemy is gone that it regains self-control. 



When a bird of prey dashes at one of them unsuccessfully when 

 in cover, no human power is able to make it abandon its retreat, 

 and any one can then lay hands on it without difficulty. A 

 Partridge has even been known to allow itself to be stifled with 

 smoke in its hiding-place rather than again expose itself to the 

 claw of the Falcon, Vulture, or Sparrow-hawk. 



The knowledge of these facts has suggested a very simple and 

 effectual method of killing Partridges successfully. This con- 

 sists in frightening them with the help of an artificial bird of 

 prey, attached to the tail of a kite flown over them. While the 

 Partridges are paralysed by fright from this deception, the 

 sportsmen advance and make the birds flush within easy shooting 

 distance. 



Notwithstanding their wild nature. Partridges are susceptible 

 of domestication, and, with care and gentleness, they may be 

 rendered very tame. Girardin relates that a Grey Partridge, 

 reared by a Carthusian, became so familiar that it followed its 

 protector about like a dog. Willoughby states that an inhabitant 

 of the county of Sussex succeeded in taming a whole covey of Par- 

 tridges, and was in the habit of driving them before him like a 

 flock of Geese. Tournefort relates that formerly^, in the Isle of 

 Ohio, flocks of Red-legged Partridges were reared which allowed 

 themselves to be driven about in exactly the same way; and Sonini 

 speaks of two Red-legged Partridges which an inhabitant of 



