PARTRIDGE (par'trfj), (Heb. ko-ray', a caller, from its cry).
(1) The word occurs but twice in the Old Tes tament (i Sam. xxvi:2o; Jer. xvii:11; Sept. ripSIE, pare'diks, Vulg. perdix, Ecclus. xi:31). Late commentators state that there are four species of the Tctrao (grouse) of Linnmus abundant in Palestine ; the francolin (T. francolinus), the katta (T. alchata), the red-legged or Barbary partridge (T. petrosus), and the Greek partridge (T. saxatilis). In this now obsolete classification there are included not less than three genera, ac cording to the more correct systems of recent writers, and not one strictly a grouse occurs in the number, though the real T. Urogallus, or cock of the woods, is reported to frequent Asia Minor in winter, and in that case is probably no stranger in Libanus. There is, however, the genus Pier odes, of which the P. alchata is the katta, ganga, cata, and pin-tailed grouse of authors, a species very common in Palestine, and innumerable in Arabia; but it is not the only one, for the sand grouse of Latham (P. arenarius) occurs in France, Spain, Barbary, Arabia, Persia, and on the north side of the Mediterranean, or all round Palestine. These are distinguished from other genera of Tetraonida by their long and powerful wings, enabling them to reach water, which they delight to drink in abundance; and by this pro pensity they often indicate to the thirsty caravan in what direction to find relief. They feed more on insects, larvw, and worms than on seeds, and none of the species having a perfect hind toe that reaches the ground, they run fast: these char acteristics are of some importance in determining whether they were held to be really clean birds, and consequently could be the sclav of the Israel ites, which our versions have rendered 'quail.'
(See QUAIL ; UNCLEAN BIRDS.) (2) The Francolin forms a second genus, whereof F. vulgaris, or the common tree par tridge, is the Syrian species best known, though most likely not the only one of that country. It is larger than the ganga; the male is always pro vided with one pair of spurs (though others of the genus have two), and has the tail longer than true partridges. This species is valued for the table, is of handsome plumage, and common from Spain and France, on both sides of the Mediter ranean.
(3) The partridge is a third genus, reckoning in Syria the two species before named, both red legged and furnished with orange and black cres cents on the sides ; but the other markings differ, and the Barbary spccics is smaller than the Greek. They are inferior in delicacy to the common partridge, and it is probable that Perdix rufa, and the Caspian partridge, both resembling the former in many particulars, are no strangers in Syria.
(4) The expostulation of David with Saul, where he says, 'The king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge on the mountains,' is perfectly natural ; for the red legged partridges are partial to upland brush wood, which is not an uncommon character of the hillsand mountainsof Palestine; and the partridge sitting on her eggs and not hatching them (Jer. xvii:ti) we take to allude to the liability of the nest being trodden under foot, or robbed by car nivorous animals. notwithstanding all the care and interesting manceuvers of the parent birds to save it or the brood; for this geniis is monoga mous, nestles on the ground. and both male and female sit, and anxiously watch over the safety of their young. C. H. S.