. British birds with their nests and eggs . n species. They differ, however, somewhat in their habits, preferring torun when disturbed, as they are exceedingly swift of foot. When, however, theyare made to take wing, their flight is rapid, and they will proceed for longerdistances than the common species. They not unfrequently fly up into the trees, anda whole covey may be seen seated on a fence or low building. Their food isidentical with that of the common Partridge, grain, seeds, insects, and fruit. Like the other species of Caccabis, they are remarkably distinguished by thefeathers on the
. British birds with their nests and eggs . n species. They differ, however, somewhat in their habits, preferring torun when disturbed, as they are exceedingly swift of foot. When, however, theyare made to take wing, their flight is rapid, and they will proceed for longerdistances than the common species. They not unfrequently fly up into the trees, anda whole covey may be seen seated on a fence or low building. Their food isidentical with that of the common Partridge, grain, seeds, insects, and fruit. Like the other species of Caccabis, they are remarkably distinguished by thefeathers on the flanks being strongly barred, and they difier from the genusPerdix in the two sexes being similar in plumage. Although they pair the maleis spurred, and sometimes in fact possesses more than a single pair of spurs. The Red-legged Partridge is extremely common in the south-west of Europe,being distributed throughout the whole of France. In Portugal it is veryabundant, and may be regarded as the Partridge of the Spanish Peninsula. It x •^^. o Q HDC<CL Q W o o UJ I Q UJ The Red-Legged Partridge. ^ occurs in the Balearic Islands, and on the mainland in Italy. As a game bird itis not appreciated as highly as the Grey Partridge, running off from one end ofthe field as the shooters enter the other, nor do its merits on the table makeamends, for few persons regard it as equivalent in flavour to its congener. It,however, affords better sport when pursued, according to the modern fashion ofdriving. The nest of the Red-legged Partridge is made on the ground, usually underthe shelter of some herbage, as the tall grass of a hedge-row, or in growing crops,it is simply a slight hollow, with a few withered leaves or dead grass. The eggs,Avhich are said to be laid at rather distant intervals, vary from ten to eighteen innumber, they are stone colour, spotted or blotched with darker brown. The firstare usually laid in April or May, but owing to the long duration of the laying,the Red-legged
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectbirds, bookyear1896
