almoft continually in motion, fometirnes fporting and balking 

 in the fun in moift fields or heaths, or forming continued 

 circles in the air. In autumn they afTemble in confiderable 

 numbers on marfhy heaths or commons, and feed on earth- 

 worms and infecls ; they are of a reftlefs difpofition, and fel- 

 dom flay long at one place ; they will frequently leave the 

 interior of the country, and feek the fea-fhore ; when they 

 have been on the coafts for a week or two, their flefli has a 

 very unpleafant bitter flavour,, at other times they are gene- 

 rally e (teemed ; their eggs are considered as a great delicacy, 

 and in our London markets fell for three millings a dozen. 



It does not make a neft, but depofits its eggs (four in num- 

 ber) on a tuft of dry grafs ; the eggs are of a dark olive colour, 

 fpotted with black or very dark brown ; its attention to 

 its young has often attracted obfervation, and it ufes ftratagem 

 (as already noticed in the partridge) to induce any intruder to 

 leave the vicinity of the eggs or young ; when difturbed it rifes 

 but a little above the head of the intruding party, and continues 

 fluttering and fcreaming in a tone of diftrefs. 



The young are at firft covered with a dark down, mixed, 

 with long white hair ; they run almoft as foon as hatched, 

 following the parents in fearch of food ; they do not attain 

 their full plumage till towards the end of July, nor the ufe of 

 their wings until the fall of the year, which makes them an. 

 eafy prey to the bald buzzard, which may moft generally 

 be feen hovering near their place of refort. 



