PARTRIDGE

A well-known bird, three varieties of which are found in Palestine. Saul’s hunting of David like a partridge upon the mountain, 1Sa 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 Jer 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.

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Partridge. Partridge
(Heb. kore, i.e., “caller”). This bird, unlike our own partridge, is distinguished by “its ringing call-note, which in early morning echoes from cliff to cliff amidst the barrenness of the wilderness of Judea and the glens of the forest of Carmel” hence its Hebrew name. This name occurs only twice in Scripture.

In 1 Sam. 26:20 “David alludes to the mode of chase practised now, as of old, when the partridge, continuously chased, was at length, when fatigued, knocked down by sticks thrown along the ground.” It endeavours to save itself “by running, in preference to flight, unless when suddenly started. It is not an inhabitant of the plain or the corn-field, but of rocky hill-sides” (Tristram’s Nat. Hist.).

In Jer. 17:11 the prophet is illustrating the fact that riches unlawfully acquired are precarious and short-lived. The exact nature of the illustration cannot be precisely determined. Some interpret the words as meaning that the covetous man will be as surely disappointed as the partridge which gathers in eggs, not of her own laying, and is unable to hatch them; others (Tristram), with more probability, as denoting that the man who enriches himself by unjust means “will as surely be disappointed as the partridge which commences to sit, but is speedily robbed of her hopes of a brood” by her eggs being stolen away from her.

The commonest partridge in Palestine is the Caccabis saxatilis, the Greek partridge. The partridge of the wilderness (Ammo-perdix heyi) is a smaller species. Both are essentially mountain and rock birds, thus differing from the English partridge, which loves cultivated fields.

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PARTRIDGE. → General scriptures concerning 1Sa 26:20; Jer 17:11

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partridge. Partridge, n. a genus of birds of several species

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Par″tridge (pär″trĭj), n. [[OE. partriche, pertriche, OF. pertris, perdriz, F. perdrix, L. perdix, -icis, fr. Gr. πέρδιξ.]] (Zoöl.) 1. 1. Any one of numerous species of small gallinaceous birds of the genus Perdix and several related genera of the family Perdicidæ, of the Old World. The partridge is noted as a game bird.
Full many a fat partrich had he in mew. Chaucer. ☞ The common European, or gray, partridge (Perdix cinerea) and the red-legged partridge (Caccabis rubra) of Southern Europe and Asia are well-known species. 2. 2. Any one of several species of quail-like birds belonging to Colinus, and allied genera.
☞ Among them are the bobwhite (Colinus Virginianus) of the Eastern States; the plumed, or mountain, partridge (Oreortyx pictus) of California; the Massena partridge (Cyrtonyx Montezumæ); and the California partridge (Callipepla Californica). 3. 3. The ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus).
Bamboo partridge (Zoöl.), a spurred partridge of the genus Bambusicola. Several species are found in China and the East Indies. — Night partridge (Zoöl.), the woodcock. — Painted partridge (Zoöl.), a francolin of South Africa (Francolinus pictus). — Partridge berry. (Bot.) (a) The scarlet berry of a trailing american plant (Mitchella repens) of the order Rubiaceæ, having roundish evergreen leaves, and white fragrant flowers sometimes tinged with purple, growing in pairs with the ovaries united, and producing the berries which remain over winter; also, the plant itself. (b) The fruit of the creeping wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens); also, the plant itself. — Partridge dove (Zoöl.) Same as Mountain witch, under Mountain. — Partridge pea (Bot.), a yellow-flowered leguminous herb (Cassia Chamæcrista), common in sandy fields in the Eastern United States. — Partridge shell (Zoöl.), a large marine univalve shell (Dolium perdix), having colors variegated like those of the partridge. — Partridge wood (a) A variegated wood, much esteemed for cabinetwork. It is obtained from tropical America, and one source of it is said to be the leguminous tree Andira inermis. Called also pheasant wood. (b) A name sometimes given to the dark-colored and striated wood of some kind of palm, which is used for walking sticks and umbrella handles. — Sea partridge (Zoöl.), an Asiatic sand partridge (Ammoperdix Bonhami); — so called from its note. — Snow partridge (Zoöl.), a large spurred partridge (Lerwa nivicola) which inhabits the high mountains of Asia. — Spruce partridge. See under Spruce. — Wood partridge, or Hill partridge (Zoöl.), any small Asiatic partridge of the genus Arboricola.