PARTRIDGE. I15 
of as many as thirty or forty, especially in wild and open 
parts of the country. Single survivors of other coveys are 
taken into the community. Partridges are easily tamed to 
a certain extent, so as even to take food from the hands 
of strangers, and have been known to lay in confinement. 
Sir Thomas Maryon Wilson, Bart., had seven or eight young 
ones reared in his aviary at Charlton, m the summer of 
1842. Part of a brood of young ones brought up under a 
hen, after having been set at liberty a mile off, have been 
known to return and be fed by the person who before had 
had the care of them during the winter months. An anecdote 
- is related in the ‘Zoologist,’ pages 1601-2, by Arthur Hussey, 
Hsq., of Rottingdean, of one which, having been brought 
up from about a day old, became most thoroughly tame. 
Another evinced great personal attachment to a lady, and 
would sit for hours on the back of her chair, and roost 
near the head of her bed at night, never failing to shew 
every symptom of distress and concern during her occasional 
absences. If alarmed, the Partridge, proverbial for timidity, 
cowers down, or runs off with great rapidity, as it may be 
likewise seen to do in pursuit of its companions; or, if closely 
pressed, takes wing. 
In their flight, which is strong and rather quick, they 
gradually rise to a little height, and then fly off in a direct 
course, with a loud ‘whirr’—the effect of the quick pulsation 
of the wings. At the end-of a long flight, after being alarmed, 
they finish in a sailing manner, and alight sidelong. In feeding, 
the back is arched up, and if alarmed the head is raised 
erect, and thus it walks about, till, if need be, it runs along, 
and then takes wing. If they lie close it is very difficult to 
see them. 
They feed in the mornings and evenings, and live on grain, 
beans, and seeds, worms, caterpillars, beetles, and other insects, 
as also in times of scarcity on turnip tops and roots, young 
clover, or probably any tender leaves: the young are at first 
fed with insects—ants and their eggs especially, if there are 
any to be met with. The Partridge must do far more good 
than harm, devouring immense numbers of noxious insects, 
wireworms and others, as well as the seeds of injurious plants; 
at the same time some injury is caused by their scratching 
and picking up grains of newly-sown wheat, and eating the 
young green shoots that have come up. They suffer much 
in times of deep snow from want of food. In the summer 
