66 THE NATURAL HISTORY 
ing the duft out ‘of his velvet flippers, that he 
{hut them up in a room, where they became very 
- fat, and died. 
In Chios, an ifland in the Archipelago, every 
countryman almoft has a flock ; they follow him 
into the fields, and in the evening return. » One 
reafon why they are fo fond of their keepers is, 
that as foon as they were hatched, they frequent- 
ly warmed them in their bofoms, and fed them 
from their mouths ; but they are very careful to 
houfe them every night, for if they omit it two or 
three times, the Partridges forget them and be- 
come wild, Dm | 
They frequent rocky and mountainous parts, 
but come down in the plains in May to breeds 
they lay fixteen or eighteen eggs, on the bare 
* ground, which are efteemed very delicate food, 
and it is faid that the white does not harden in 
boiling. : 
They differ in this refpect. from the common 
Partridges,. that they fometimes perch on trees, 
and are feen in flocks, but amongft common Par- 
tridges the covey confifts only of thofe which were 
hatched together. They ufe the fame artifice as 
the Lapwings to deceive the fowler, by counter. 
feiting lamenels. : 
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