48 NATURAL HISTORY. 
Of Partridges there are more than twenty species, fo- 
reign and domestic, hut they may all be arranged under two 
divisions, the grey and the red. The red partridge is the 
largest of the two, and often perches upon trees ; the grey, 
which is the common partridge in England, is most prolific, 
and always keeps on the grouud. 
The partridge seems to be a bird well known all over the 
world, as it is found in every country, and in every climate ; 
as well in frozen regions about the pole, as the torrid tracts 
under the equator. It even seems to adopt itself to the na- 
ture of the climate where it resides. In Greenland, the par- 
tridge, which is brown in summer, as soon as the icy winter 
sets in, begins to take a covering suited to the season ; it is 
then clothed with a warm down beneath; and its outward 
plumage assumes the colour of the snows amongst which it 
seeks its food. The manners of the partridge in most circum- 
stances, resemble all those of poultry in general ; but their 
cunniug and instinct seem superior to those of the larger 
kinds. Perhaps, as they live in the very neighbourhood of 
their enemies, they have more frequent occasion to put their 
little arts in practice, and learn, by habit, the means of eva- 
sion or safety. Whenever, therefore, a dog or other formi- 
dable animal approaches their nest, their female uses every 
means to draw him away. She keeps just before him, pre- 
tends to be incapable of flying, just hops up, and then falls 
down before him, but never goes off so far as to discourage 
her pursuer. At length, when she has drawn him entirely 
away from her secret treasure, she at once takes wing and 
leaves him to gaze after her, in despair. 
After the danger is over, and the dog withdrawn, she then 
calls her young, who assemble at once at her cry, and follow 
where she leads them. There are generally from ten to fif- 
teen in a covey ; and, if unmolested, they live from fifteen to 
seventeen years. 
The francolin, is one of the most beautiful species of par- 
tridge. It is sometimes found in the South of Spain, but is 
very common in Barbary. 
There is also a bare-necked 'partridge and a species with a 
hackle like that of a cock. 
The Quail is abird much smaller than any of the former, 
being not above half the size of a parLridge. The feathers of 
the head are black, edged with rusty brown ; the breast is 
of a pale yellowish red, spotted with black ; the feathers on 
the back are marked with lines of pale yellow, and the legs 
are of a pale hue. 
