5978 



Birds. 



noticed in any biography of that bird ; and besides, I have also seen 

 some statements and theories advuiiced in connexion with some of 

 its habits, or supposed powers, which I thought were inconsistent with 

 facts 1 had noticed, and have often been able to verify. Moreover, from 

 the locality of my more recent and somewhat persevering observations, 

 I have been almost induced to think that an account of those observa- 

 tions might not be so altogether every-day as to be unacceptable to the 

 editor and readers of the ' Zoologist.' On these grounds, then, I rest 

 my apology for the present paper. 



The district I am now living in is one of deep narrow valleys, — in 

 the main fertile and well cultivated, — between ridges of moorland 

 reaching an altitude of 900 to 1400 feet above the sea. The culti- 

 vated part of my own immediate portion of this district may be not 

 unaptly figured by supposing a star-fish of five arms, not very regular 

 in shape or size, and two of them drawn together for one-third of their 

 length towards their points, and leaving an oval space between them 

 towards their base. The whole area of this star-fish and its arms may 

 be some 7000 or 8000 acres, lying in the midst of twice that amount 

 of moorland. While, then, the productive corn land in the valleys- 

 much of it being of that quality which I have heard described as 

 " good partridge land," that is, very friable and dry — is highly favor- 

 able to the breed of partridges, the close vicinity of the high ground, 

 with its thick coverts of ling and bracken, adds yet further to its re- 

 commendations as a breeding and dwelling place for these birds. 



The partridge pairs very early. Notwithstanding the intensely bitter 

 cold and frost of the early part of this month, I have already (Feb. 2) 

 observed several instances in which the courtship was evidently 

 over, and the union effected.* Nor have I ever observed, w^hen once 

 the pairing has taken place, that the individuals so paired ever so far, 

 apparently, annul the bond as to return to the life-in-common of the 

 covey ; a circumstance which may repeatedly be noticed with both 

 the grouse and the golden plover, under the influence of severe 

 weather. 



The nest appears to be almost invariably formed on the enclosed 

 land ; I mean as distinguished from the moor or common. This year 

 I heard of one well-authenticated instance of the nest being on the 

 moor, but still at no great distance from the enclosures ; and 1 believe 

 such instances to be rare : indeed it would not be very convenient to 



* Our gamekeeper yesterday, February 4, told ine he had noticed the same cir- 

 cumstance. 



