212 PARTRIDGE. 
observer, does she resume her power and wing away to a 
greater distance.’ The parent birds exhibit great affection 
for their young in leading them out and calling them together 
to feed. Hen birds have been found dead with their broods 
under their wings, perishing themselves from the effects of 
cold and hunger, sooner than leave them to exposure in severe 
weather. The male is very pugnacious in spring, driving off 
all intruders, and endeavouring to guard his mate. Mr. 
Selby tells of a pair which attacked a Crow which threatened 
their young, and held him till taken from them by a person 
who came up; and Markwick says that he saw a pair fly 
up at and buffet a Kite which had been hovering over their 
brood. They are believed to pair for life. The male birds 
have combats together in the spring, and use their claws as 
offensive weapons. 
A hen Partridge has been known, on perceiving that her 
nest was discovered, to cover the eggs over with leaves so 
completely, that it (the nest,) could not again have been 
casually noticed; and each morning as she laid a fresh egg, 
she covered all over again. Montagu mentions one which. 
being taken with her eggs, continued to sit on them, and 
brought out the young. Mr. Jesse relates a curious anecdote 
of a Partridge which, being disturbed by a plough driven 
close to her nest, removed the eggs, nineteen in number, 
assisted perhaps by her mate, to a distance of forty yards 
under a hedge, before the return of the plough, an interval 
of twenty minutes: such instances have more than once 
occurred. Of another he says, ‘A farmer discovered a Partridge 
sitting on its eggs in a grass field. The bird allowed him 
to pass his hand down its back without moving or shewing 
any fear; but if he offered to touch the eggs, the poor bird 
immediately pecked his hand.’ One has been known to fly 
at and attack a person who picked up one of her young 
running in a road, on hearing its cry. 
Of another it is related in the ‘Zoologist,’ pages 1601-2, 
by Arthur Hussey, Esq., ‘It soon shewed it liked to be 
always with me, and was perfectly happy in my lap; or when 
I have been painting, it would sit on my left arm dressing 
itself or sleeping in entire security. I used to take it into 
my mother’s room, and if it could lie on her gown at her 
feet, it was contented, but was always on the watch for my 
coming back, and on seeing me would jump up and run to 
meet me. It was now so tame and pleased with being fondled 
