COMMON PARTRIDGE. 
7 
in December 1867, I happened to turn round and detected some dark objects slowly making their way 
over a stubble on the low ground below us, on which was a thin coating of snow. After a few minutes’ 
watching, a steady view through the glasses convinced the keeper and myself that they must be a 
covey of Partridges engaged in searching for food ; the fact that we were well aware a brood had been 
hatched near at hand, and still resorted to that part of the gronnd, also strengthened tlie idea. As we 
were only a hundred yards or so up the hill-side, and there w'as sufficient time for reaching the higher 
flats of the ^ mountains before daybreak, we turned back to obtain a closer inspection and ascertain what 
could have induced the birds to be on the move at such an hour. On crossing the road at the foot of 
the hill which runs up the glen, I directed the keeper to take my second gun, and if the birds rose within 
range to do his best to fill the bag. There was no difficulty in ascertaining the whereabouts of this covey, 
as they were all clearly in view% and it was now evident tliat we had not made a mistake as to their 
identity. Before we arrived within five-and-twenty yards, the small party ran together, instantly rising on 
wing, when four out of the five were accounted for. The survivor returned, circling round and finally 
pitching in some rough cover over a wall near at hand ; but though calling loudly there was not sufficient 
light to make another attempt for a shot, so we left the poor bird to its own resources and at once 
made tracks for the hill-tops. On onr return in the afternoon, after a most satisfactory day’s sport, we 
reached the same spot as the day was closing in, and just as the children from the few scattered 
sheahngs, termed a village, were leaving the school. Remarking that the youngsters were in pursuit 
of some small object uttering shrill cries, we hastened to ascertain what had attracted their attention, 
when, on arriving w’ithin a short distance, the bird that had escaped us in the early morning rose from 
the middle of the road and passed over our heads, offering a chance for a shot that was not thrown 
away. A few years back, when writing to the keeper, Donald MacKerchar, I referred to this fact of the 
birds being on the move before daybreak, stating I had never since that time met with a similar occurrence, 
and received the following lines in reply:— “You are quite right about the Partridges we saw feeding 
before dawn. ^ I remember it very welf, and about the winged bird that was piping after the children as 
ey were going from school.” Some of the circumstances had, however, slipped the memory of this very 
0 servant keeper, as he referred to the Partridge that escaped in the morning as being winged ; thouo-h 
the curious shrill notes the bird uttered, which he descrilied as “piping.” and were certainly the most 
angular sounds I ever heard proceed from the throat of this species, were evidently still impressed on his 
During the years I rented the shootings of Innerwick, in Glenlyon, in Perthshire, I fonnd the ground 
a ape or Partridges was limited to the narrow and winding stretch of land under cultivation adjoinin*^ 
e river- anks, and the lower slopes of the hills, where brakes and long coarse grass took the place of 
e leatier. Barley and oats were the only scanty crops of grain that were grown, and I have often 
seentiese in stock on the fields by the river-side so late as November. There were a few green parks that 
provided good feeding for cattle and horses, to which the Partridges now and then made their wav, and some 
extensive grass-marshes with swamps and slades, where rushes and other rank plants flourished in profusion; 
le small patches of potatoes were also one of the favourite resorts of these birds. I soon discovered that 
le stock of Partridges on my land, which extended for about five miles along the course of the river, 
amounted to only six or seven coveys. The first season I was there the Grouse and Wildfowl, together 
wit 1 fishing and the work of setting traps for vermin, occupied nearly the whole of my time, and only 
ree or four brace of Partridges were bagged. The next year, owing to the numbers left, I anticipated 
a many more coveys would be seen ; this, however, was soon diseovered to be a mistaken idea, as only 
seven or eight broods could be found, and one or two of these kept so closely to the “march,” that there 
was no telling on which side they might be met with. As sparing the birds appeared of no avail in 
