While the chicks are young and unable to fly, the old birds attend to them very as siduously ; at the least alarm they all shel ter under the hen's wings, or perhaps un der those of the cock. When a dog, &c. breaks i n,the cock pretends to be in a state of debility, and separates from the hen, which leads the brood away ; the dog is thus led astray. Partridges will also fly at a kite that hovers over their young, in defence of which they are extremely dar ing and indefatigable. These birds often pair with barn-door fowls ; but are by no means prone to domestication. It is pro bably owing to the intermixture, that covies have been seen pied, party-colour ed, or white.
In shooting partridges, pointers and set ters are usually employed : they should be thoroughly staunch, and perfectly under command. The best pointers are of a tall stature, rather light than heavy in the limbs, with small heads, deep chests, and lank about the abduinen. The more white about them, the better they will be distin guished, especially towards the close of day. All dogs that stand, or set, ought to quarter their ground well, and should naturally turn to windward; so as neither to blink nor to run up the birds. Though setters are much used by poachers, yet many gentlemen prefer them to pointers : but they answer for low coverts only, such as clover and stubbles. The poachers work by night, and prefer open countries to such as are enclosed ; especially when they use the tunnel-net. To prevent them from catching birds with that destructive machine, a few young partridges should be got early in the season ; these, having their bearing claws cut off, cannot run, but always spring, and induce the whole covey to rise. To obviate the ordinary mode of netting birds at night, the stub bles should be bushed ; that is, a number of strips of eglantine, dog-rose, or even large thistles, should be laid about in the fields, that the net may be intercepted, and the birds be alarmed.
With regard to the variety of partridges, it would be almost endless to describe them ; in some countries they are of a fine black on the breast, where each feather bears a white spot about the size of a pea ; the rest of the body being strongly marked with game-feathers. The red-legged par tridge is a native of hot climates ; it is a beautiful bird, grows very large, and is peculiarly marked with yellow near the eyes, while the breast bears a large dark coloured crescent. Whatever is of a red
or glowing colour, attracts these birds greatly ; hence they are very keen in swallowing red hot cinders, &c. which, however, soon kill them. 'this bird is pos sessed of great speed, and after running for some distance, generally into a covert, will crouch, and allow the dogs to be on the point of seizing. before he will take wing. There are very few of this breed in England ; what there are seem to be purely accidental. When wounded, they go to ground in rabbit burrows, &c.
The Black-grouse, which is a species of partridge, is found chiefly on extensive woods in the northern parts of Britain : there it is found in immense abundance. Some are also seen in Hampshire ; it is pe culiarly attached to woody and mountain ous situations ; especially where the he flier grows large, and where juniper bush es abound. The black-grouse perch on trees ; they never pair; but when the cocks crow, and clap their wings, the hens fly to them from all quarters. The male weighs full two pounds, in general ; the females rather less. They live under the snow during great part of winter ; but always take the precaution of eating their fill of birch-catkins before they shelter there. Cherries and peas are deleterious to this bird.
The Red.grouse,Moor-cock, or Red-game. This bird lives chiefly on the extensive moors in North Britain, and in the north ern parts of England; also in some of the Welsh counties. It is supposed to be a native of Britain, and, indeed, to be peculiar to our islands. The male usually weighs about eighteen ounces; the fe male about fourteen. They pair in the spring, and the broods flock together dur ing winter; being then remarkably vigi lant and shy. They usually resort to the summits of hills covered with hether, juniper, bilberry, &c. It is necessary to draw them so soon as killed; else they speedily become tainted. Setters are better than pointers for folloWing red grouse, on account of their long hair, which protects them from the action of the coverts ; but, to enable their acting with vigour, they must often be supplied with water ; which, on many moors, will not be readily found. This sport com mences on the 12th of August. In 1801, a gentleman in Invernesshire shot fifty two braces of moor-game in one day, all single, and on the wing.