The Common Partridge 1 15 
sources. I have seen three or four Scotch " blood-red " Partridges, some almost black, 
so great has been the tendency towards melanism, but never what may be termed a 
genuine melanotic variety.' In all cases the breast with the dark horseshoe is nearly 
always normal, as well as the light chestnut face. 2 So recently as 1909 a specimen of 
this variety from Northumberland is noted in the Field, and it has a tendency to keep 
recurring in the same district. In fact, if the records of the various counties are 
searched, we should find that the rufous or blood-red variety of the Common Partridge 
has been found in all parts where these birds are common. It seems that " erythrism," 
as it is called, is more persistent in the species than amongst other birds. 
The most remarkable variety I have seen is one I bought from a fishmonger in 
Perth, near which town it was killed in 1890. The general colour is a mixture of dark 
brown and dove colour, with the chestnut parts of the face cream. The wide flank 
bars are sandy and the feather centres of the scapulars white ; tail pale brown, with 
belly and horseshoe normal. The effect is strange but somewhat beautiful. I have 
another from the same district, steel-grey over all the back and scapulars, with the tail 
pale sandy brown heavily barred with black. Sandy buff varieties seem to be fairly 
common in Perthshire, as I have killed five or six at different times. It seems a pity 
that variations of Partridges and other game birds should be shot before they have 
obtained their adult plumage, as they generally are, because the mature varieties are 
often interesting and sometimes beautiful, whereas immatures are the reverse ; but it 
is difficult to prevent a gunner from firing at something he has never seen before. 
M. Suchetet, who has devoted much time to the study of the hybrids of European 
birds, considers that the interbreeding of the Common and the Red-legged Partridge 
has so far been imperfectly verified. Though I have examined a good number of 
so-called hybrids of the above-mentioned species, I have always found them to be 
varieties of the Common Partridge. 
The late Mr. Stevenson was of opinion that the Common Partridge did occasionally 
interbreed with the Red-leg, and he assigned to this cross a bird killed in Norfolk in 
October 1850. The specimen does not seem to be still in existence. 
1 Mr. H. A. Digby remarks in the Field, February 7, 1891, what he calls two melanotic varieties. The first, he says, 
looked as if the head, neck, breast, and legs had been covered with soot. 
2 Very frequently the whole of the head and neck are a yellowish buff colour. 
