PARTRIDGE. 69 



descried, making their appearance, they were secured in the act of drawing a large net 

 up to the light upon the head of the setter, as above mentioned." 



Partridges are usually poached by some such method as above mentioned, the gun 

 is seldom or never used except by the sporting poacher ; a very different character from 

 the ordinary poacher, for he follows the game from the love of sporting, and not merely 

 for the money value of the birds. 



In addition to the poacher, the poor Partridge has other, Avhat may be called, natural 

 enemies, by which it suffers much, particularly in the young state. Among these may 

 be named the Carrion Crow; the Stoat or Ermine; the Fox; Hawks of various kinds; 

 and lastly, the Common or Ringed Snake, (Matrix torquata,) which is much more frequently 

 guilty of destroying young Partridges, than is commonly supposed. It is probable also 

 that the Adder or Viper, (Pelius Bents,) is sometimes guilty of the same crime; if this 

 be so, the retributive justice which, on one occasion at least, overtook the offender, as 

 related farther on, would seem to be singularly appropriate. 



The food of the Partridge varies at different seasons of the year; thus we find it in 

 winter, spring, and summer feeding chiefly on blades and seeds of grass; seeds of various 

 species of Polygonum, and many other weeds; and very largely of insects of all kinds, 

 and in all stages of development; among others it seeks diligently for the various kinds 

 of wire-worms, so destructive to the growing crops; also for the whole of the aphides; 

 for spiders ; for ants, and their eggs ; for slugs ; and in fact for every insect that frequents 

 its haunts; thereby doing an incalculable amount of good to the farmer, who, for his own 

 sake, should do all in his power to protect and encourage this most useful bird. 



During the autumn they derive a portion of their nutriment from the corn fields : but 

 we believe they never pull growing corn : the amount of corn consumed by them before 

 the crop is carried off the ground can be but trifling, and any that they may pick up 

 after that from the stubbles, must be looked upon as entailing, not only no loss, but a 

 positive benefit on the agriculturist; for all corn left to vegetate, and grow up among 

 any other crops, can only be looked upon as an injurious weed by every good farmer. 

 During this period also, they destroy large numbers of insects, which are generally then 

 very abundant. The young birds subsist almost wholly upon insect food, and take but 

 a very small portion of corn. Along with its vegetable food, like the rest of the Gallinaceas, 

 the Partridge always swallows a number of small hard stones, seldom exceeding a No. 2 

 shot in size; these assist the gizzard in grinding up the food, and preparing it for 

 assimilation. 



It is stated by Mr. Yarrell, "that on some heathy districts in Surrey, as the Hurtwood 

 and Bagshot Heaths, the Partridges seldom frequent the corn lands, but subsist on heath 

 and hurtle-berries. These birds are not so white in the flesh when dressed as others, 

 and have some of the flavour of the Grouse." 



