PARTRIDGE. 73 



of these, had been attacked by the parent birds, and with the foregoing singular success." 



A touching account of the devotion of the Partridge to its young is recorded by 

 Macgillivray. He says, "So great is the affection of the Partridge for its young, that 

 in the very cold and wet summer of 1836, as I have been informed by my friend, Mr. 

 Weir, of Boghead, several pairs were found dead in the fields near Bathgate, with their 

 broods under their wings; they having perished under the influence of cold and hunger 

 rather than expose their tender charge to the inclemency of the weather." In this case 

 we cannot but regret that their affectionate solicitude for their young did not receive 

 the reward it so well deserved. 



The young birds continue with the parents until the pairing season, constituting what 

 are called covies. These vary in number, not only with the number of eggs, but also, 

 as we have before stated, occasionally by two or even three broods becoming united, and 

 following one pair of old birds: in such a case they will sometimes number twenty -five 

 or more. Occasionally a large number of eggs will occur in one nest; even as many as 

 thirty-three are mentioned as having been found under one bird, but there can be no 

 doubt that this number was the result of two hens laying in the same nest, which would 

 seem to be no very rare occurrence where Partridges are abundant. 



Hatching is usually completed by the middle or end of June; but this must vary 

 considerably in different districts, and be much affected by an early or late spring. A 

 dry summer is very favourable to the breeding of Partridges, and a wet one equally 

 destructive, the young birds being very sensible to the effects of wet and cold. 



Eggs which have been mowed out, or otherwise procured, are readily hatched by the 

 domestic hen; the young birds should be supplied with ants' eggs, insects, milk curd, 

 and grits. Like the young Pheasants, reared in the same way, they are very subject 

 to the disease called the Gapes; this may be cured by the same remedy recommended 

 in the case of the young Pheasants. 



The Partridge will, should she be discovered upon her nest, carefully cover the eggs 

 on every occasion of her leaving the nest afterwards : we are not sure if this is inva- 

 riably the case under ordinary circumstances. Mr. St. John states that it covers its 

 nest and eggs with great cunning; entirely concealing, not only the nest itself, but so 

 disposing the surrounding grass, that no vestiges of its track to and fro can be seen. 

 And Mr. Briggs, of Melbourne, on this point, says in the "Zoologist," "In 1840 I sur- 

 prised a female on her nest, and she had laid only four eggs; being aware that she was 

 discovered, she covered them very carefully over with dead hedge leaves and dried bents, 

 uncovering them every morning to deposit an additional egg, and then concealing them 

 again. So artfully were they hidden from observation, that an eye inexperienced in such 

 matters, could not possibly have ascertained the situation of the nest, which looked 

 precisely like an unused one of a former year." 



