﻿PARTRIDGE. 769 



in England, but rarely, and do net breed there. I know of two 

 of thefe which have been fliot at different times at large in Kent, 

 one now in my pofleffion*. The food of this fort is fuppofed to 

 be fimilar to that of the Common Partridge : Willughby found in 

 the gizzard of one both caterpillars and fnails. 



They are fond of mountainous fituations, well covered with 

 wood. Their flefh is much efteemed. In one thing, however, 

 the Red Partridges differ, in being found in flocks; whereas in 

 the Common Partridges, only thofe belonging to the fame covey 

 are ever known to herd together ; the red ones are alfo obferved 

 to perch at times on trees, which is never the cafe with our 

 Partridges. The red ones fometimes encreafe in our menageries, 

 though not with the fame facility as Pheafants, &c. for they are 

 ever pining after liberty, and feldom fatten well in that ftate ; 

 nay, many of the young even die before they come to maturicy f . 

 However this be, Toumefort J talks of their becoming fo tame 

 in the ifle of Scio, that they may be driven to feek their food in 

 the fields like fo many fheep, and that each family can caufe them 

 to return to their refpeftive matters with a whittle ; and further 

 obferves, that they are fo plenty in the ifle of Nan/to as to be 

 the peft of the inhabitants, who make it a rule, to this day, to 

 collecl as many eggs as poffible every year, in order to leffen the 

 breed, which in many feafons have totally eaten up the fruits of 

 the harveft §. 



• Others have been killed in Hampjhire and Dorfetjbire ; but believed to be 

 •only fuch as the benevolent gentlemen of the neighbourhood hav<i turned out of 

 their refpeftive menageries, in order to naturalize them< 



f Hiji. des oif. \ Voy. § Id. 



Vol. II, 5 F R e j 



