Difference between revisions of "Partridge"

<p> kore' . &nbsp;1 Samuel 26:20, "a partridge in the mountains." &nbsp;Jeremiah 17:11, "the partridge sitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not" ''("Sitteth On Eggs Which It Has Not Laid," Henderson)'' , typifying the profitlessness of unlawful gain (&nbsp;Psalms 39:6; &nbsp;Psalms 49:16-17; &nbsp;Psalms 55:23) in the end. [[Breeding]] in the desert mountain regions it makes its rude nest, a hole scratched in the earth and lined with dried leaves, and deposits 15 eggs. Like many of the rasorial birds they lay in one another's nests, and a different bird hatches from the bird who laid the eggs. </p> <p> This is Jeremiah's reference, or rather to its nest being on the ground, liable to be trodden under foot or robbed by carnivorous animals, notwithstanding all the beautiful maneuvers of the parent bird to save the brood. Jehoiakim's covetous grasping acts are here glanced at. Κore') is from [[Hebrew]] "call," referring to the call of the cock bird, as German rebhuhn is from rufen "to call." Κore') imitates the call note of the Caccabis saxatilis , "Greek partridge," which frequents rocky, brushwood covered, ground. The Αmmopedix Ηeyii is the partridge of the mountains, often hunted from place to place, until being fatigued it is knocked down by the sticks, zerwattys, of the Arabs (Shaw Tray. 1:425); familiar to David in his camping near [[Adullam]] cave, and less apt to take wing than the Caccabis saxatilis . So Saul sought, by surprising David in his haunts from time to time, at last to destroy him. </p>

<p> <strong> [[Partridge]] </strong> ( <em> qôrç’ </em> , &nbsp; 1 Samuel 26:20 , &nbsp; Jeremiah 17:11 ). Two kinds of partridge abound in Palestine. The chukar or rock partridge ( <em> Caccabis chukar </em> ) is the commonest of game birds. Its cry may be heard all over the land, and large coveys may be encountered in the autumn. It is distinguished by its red legs. It is excellent eating. Hey’s sand partridge ( <em> Ammoperdix heyi </em> ) occurs in enormous numbers around the [[Dead]] Sea. It is probably the partridge referred to in &nbsp; Isaiah 26:20 : its short flights from place to place when hunted; Its hiding, trusting to its invisibility on account of its colour being so like the environment; its quick run from danger before taking to wing; and its final capture when too wearied to fly must form a very suitable image of a poor human fugitive remorselessly pursued. The reference in &nbsp; Jeremiah 17:11 is hard to understand; it may perhaps refer to the fact that when disturbed from their nests such birds sometimes never return. In Sir 11:30 the heart of a proud man is compared to a decoy partridge in a cage. It is still customary in Palestine to hunt the red-legged partridge by the aid of such decoys. </p> <p> E. W. G. Masterman. </p>

<p> The word <i> qone </i> signifies 'caller' and this suits the common Palestine partridge because of its loud ringing call. Two things are said of this bird. David, when pursued by Saul, compares himself to a partridge hunted on the mountains. &nbsp;1 Samuel 26:20 . This agrees with the way in which the partridges are taken: they are chased on the mountains till they are tired out. The other passage, &nbsp;Jeremiah 17:11 , says, "as the partridge sitteth on eggs and hatcheth them not; so he that getteth riches and not by right, shall leave them in the midst of his days, and at his end shall be a fool." In the margin it reads, she "that gathereth young which she hath not brought forth." This rendering is confirmed by the LXX and [[Vulgate]] and is supposed to refer to the partridge sitting upon eggs she has not laid, such eggs being left in her nest on the ground by other birds. When hatched the young birds desert her. This agrees with the context. The <i> Caccabis saxatilis </i> and <i> Ammoperdix Heyii </i> are known in Palestine. </p>

<p> A well-known bird, three varieties of which are found in Palestine. Saul's hunting of David like a partridge upon the mountain, &nbsp;1 Samuel 26:20 , may be illustrated by an occasional practice of the Arabs, who, observing that this bird becomes languid on being started several times in quick succession, at length rush suddenly in upon it and knock it over with their clubs. In &nbsp;Jeremiah 17:11 , we may best render, as the partridge gathereth eggs which she hath not laid; the meaning being that she loses her toil since the young birds, when hatched, forsake her. </p>

<p> P`ARTRIDGE, n. L. perdix. A wild fowl of the genus Tatrao. Latham arranges the partridge and quail in a genus under the name of Perdix, and assigns the grous to the genus Tetrao. The partridge is esteemed a great delicacy at the table. </p> <p> The term partridge is applied in [[Pennsylvania]] to the bird called quail in New England, a peculiar species of Perdix in New [[England]] it is applied to the ruffed grous, a species of Tetrao. </p>

<p> Fig. 288—Partridge </p> <p> Partridge (;; ). Late commentators state that there are four species of the tetrao (grouse) of [[Linnæus]] 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, according 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 Pterocles, 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. P. Arabicus, and probably P. exustus, or the [[Arabian]] and singed gangas, occur equally in the open districts of the south, peopling the desert along with the ostrich. All are distinguished from other genera of Tetraonidæ by their long and powerful wings, enabling them to reach water, which they delight to drink in abundance; and by this propensity they often indicate to the thirsty caravan in what direction to find relief. They feed more on insects, larvae, and worms than on seeds, and none of the species having a perfect hind toe, that reaches the ground, they run fast: these characteristics are of some importance in determining whether they were held to be really clean birds, and consequently could be the selav of the Israelites, which our versions have rendered 'quail' [QUAIL; [[Unclean]] BIRDS]. </p> <p> The Francolin forms a second genus, whereof the common tree-partridge 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 provided 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 Mediterranean, eastward to Bengal. </p>