H2 The Natural History of British Game Birds 
black markings are broad and strongly marked, and fine buff and half stripes extend 
up to the crown and often as far as the cheeks. The foregoing are well-marked 
differences which seldom vary. Females weigh a few ounces less than the males. 
The immatures somewhat resemble the adults, although all their markings are 
finer and less pronounced in colour. Both young males and females have well-marked 
horseshoe marks on the breasts, and their legs and feet are yellowish. Mr. Grant has 
noticed that the first primary flight-feathers of young birds are pointed at the extremity 
instead of being rounded, as in the adults. 
Distribution. — The Common Partridge is found in Spain, Portugal, Belgium, France, 
Germany, Bulgaria, Turkey, Austria and Hungary, Northern Italy, the foothills of the 
Caucasus, Asia Minor, Denmark, South Norway 1 and Sweden (in small numbers), the 
British Islands, Holland, the eastern side of the Adriatic, the mountainous districts 
of Persia, South-eastern Siberia, and the lands below the Altai Mountains, where it 
changes slightly to a larger and greyer race. 2 In Eastern Asia an allied species with 
deep black horseshoe marks takes the place of the western bird. It may be taken as 
a truism that an estate cannot have a fine stock of Partridges unless the soil is light, 
the farming is good, and nesting-places secure. In all counties of England and 
Scotland where Partridges are abundant such conditions prevail. The best counties 
in England for Partridges are Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Bedfordshire, 
Hants, Huntingdon, and Nottingham, with individual estates in Shropshire, Yorkshire, 
Sussex, East Kent, and Wilts. In Scotland the best counties are Perth, Aberdeen, 
East Lothian, and Forfar, whilst a few places in Fife, Wigtown, and Morayshire produce 
large numbers of birds. 
The Partridge has been introduced more than once to the Outer Hebrides, but 
without success. In the Inner Hebrides it is common in Colonsay, and there are a 
few on Tiree, Rum, Eigg, Gigha, and Jura, the result of recent introduction ; but it is 
doubtful if they will thrive unless frequently reinforced by new birds. They have been 
introduced to Lewis and North Uist, but without success. Frequent introductions to 
Orkney have failed, though a few are still said to exist in Rousay and Shapinsay, but 
will doubtless soon die out. In Ireland the Partridge is resident and breeds in every 
county, but it is a vanishing species, owing to wholesale poaching and to grain lands 
going out of cultivation ; for they seem to disappear when large areas are used solely 
as pasture. Ireland, too, is less favourable to Partridges than England, owing to 
its wetness. In Louth they have been almost exterminated by rooks robbing the 
nests. In Wales the species is common in all counties, and ascends the hills to 
the elevation of 1200 feet. It is abundant in Anglesey and all suitable parts of 
North Wales. 
Habits. — There is no British bird that is so essentially English as the little 
1 According to Professor Collett, Partridges first appeared in Southern Norway, coming from Sweden in 1744. A second 
migration occurred in 181 1, which was far-reaching, the birds spreading over most of the cultivated areas in the fertile valleys, 
where they are still found in small numbers. In i860 a covey was seen in the Fillefjald, at an altitude of 3200 feet. Its 
introduction into Sweden, where it occurs as far north as 6o° north latitude, was supposed to have taken place in the 
sixteenth century. Partridges have recently appeared in Finland. 
2 East of the Altai is found the handsome Daurian Partridge (P. barbala), a species that would doubtless do well in our 
islands. 
