208 The Common Partridge. > 

mowers are doing their work, they often come across 
a Partridge’s nest, and it is not a rare occurrence for 
the hen bird to meet with her death by the scythe, — 
for her attachment towards her nest is very great; but 
if disturbed by the mowers, so that she forsakes her 
nest, the keeper puts the eggs under a common hen 
to be hatched: she will then lay again, but not more 
than seven or eight eggs, but these birds in Septem-_ 
ber will be very small, and they are called Squeakers 
by sportsmen. Should a dog come across a young 
brood, the male bird flutters along the ground, 
uttering at the same time a peculiar cry of distress, 
throwing himself directly in the way of danger, for 
the purpose of deceiving the enemy. These actions 
are very striking: the hanging of its wings, its screams 
and general appearance would give any one unac- 
quainted with its tricks the idea of a wounded bird, 
whereby the dog is deceived by its too eager expect- 
ation, and is drawn by it some distance in an opposite 
direction from the young covey. When the dog has 
been lured far enough to secure safety, suddenly the 
actor’s wings become perfectly right, and he flies off, 
