THE RED-LEGGED PARTRIDGE. 

 Caccabis rufa (Linnaeus). 



Plate 58. 



The Red-legged or French Partridge was introduced into England before the 

 end of the eighteenth century, and the birds, first turned out in Suffolk in 1770, 

 have spread freely over the southern and eastern counties as well as the midlands, 

 and are now found in Yorkshire and in Wales. 



This species, which is most at home on dry and sandy soils, where it obtains 

 its food of various seeds, herbage, and insects, is a native of Southern and Western 

 Europe. 



The female scrapes a slight hollow in the soil, concealed by long grass or other 

 vegetation, often under a furze-bush or among brushwood, and in this nest she 

 lays from ten to eighteen eggs, of a pale buff colour spotted and marked with 

 rust-coloured freckles. 



The call of the Red-legged Partridge differs from that of the Common species, 

 having a much less clear and ringing sound. It has been syllabled by Howard 

 Saunders in his Manual of British Birds as chuk, chuk, chukar. 



Unlike our Grey Partridge, this species will sometimes perch on trees or walls, 

 and often trusts to its running powers as a means of escape instead of taking 

 flight. 



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