39 



Partridges. 



birds, are in the habit of using one nest for two birds, the 

 progeny being sometimes divided into two broods, but in 

 most cases such clutches pass into the care of one pair of 

 old birds. 



The partridge is extremely neat and careful in its habits 

 and attentive to its appearance. A considerable time each 

 day is devoted to dusting and cleaning the feathers. The 

 site chosen is generally a sunny bank, but often a road. 

 If the former it is used for some time, and the spots to 

 which the birds resort for this purpose are easily distin- 

 guished by the foot-marks, termed " roads," on the fine 

 dust produced. 



The partridge has several cries which are easily caught 

 by the practised ear and known to denote certain pro- 

 ceedings by those possessed of sufficient acumen to discover 

 them. The call and answer of the birds at mating-time, 

 and the evening " jucking " of the coveys, should be well 

 enough known. 



It has come to be recognised of late years that there 

 exists in some portions of the kingdom a rather pronounced 

 variety of the Common Partridge which may be classed 

 under the title of the Moorland or Mountain Partridge. 

 As a rule the individual birds as well as the coveys run 

 smaller, the birds are of a lighter, sandier colour, and are 

 imbued with a locally migratory instinct which prompts 

 them to long flights at certain seasons. The result is that 

 at times coveys of these partridges appear on lands far 

 from their proper habitat and disappear again in a like 

 manner. Incidentally, I may remark that the same variety 

 of partridge exists in large quantities in Hungary, which 

 may account for the rapid disappearance at times of these 

 birds when turned down. As far, however, as I can state 

 with certainty, it is to be noted that these smaller mountain 

 or moorland birds mate exclusively amongst themselves. 



