Definitions for: Partridge


[n] valued as a game bird in eastern United States and Canada
[n] a popular North American game bird; named for its call
[n] small Old World gallinaceous game birds
[n] heavy-bodied small-winged South American game bird resembling a gallinaceous bird but related to the ratite birds
[n] (US usage) flesh of either quail or grouse



Webster (1913) Definition: Par"tridge, n. [OE. partriche, pertriche, OF.
pertris, perdriz, F. perdrix, L. perdix, -icis, fr. Gr. ?.]
(Zo["o]l.)
1. Any one of numerous species of small gallinaceous birds of
the genus Perdix and several related genera of the
family Perdicid[ae], of the Old World. The partridge is
noted as a game bird.

Full many a fat partrich had he in mew. --Chaucer.

Note: 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. Any one of several species of quail-like birds belonging
to Colinus, and allied genera. [U.S.]

Note: Among them are the bobwhite (Colinus Virginianus) of
the Eastern States; the plumed, or mountain, partridge
(Oreortyx pictus) of California; the Massena
partridge (Cyrtonyx Montezum[ae]); and the California
partridge (Callipepla Californica).

3. The ruffed grouse (Bonasa umbellus). [New Eng.]

Bamboo partridge (Zo["o]l.), a spurred partridge of the
genus Bambusicola. Several species are found in China
and the East Indies.

Night partridge (Zo["o]l.), the woodcock. [Local, U.S.]

Painted partridge (Zo["o]l.), a francolin of South Africa
(Francolinus pictus).

Partridge berry. (Bot.)
(a) The scarlet berry of a trailing american plant
(Mitchella repens) of the order Rubiace[ae],
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 (Zo["o]l.) Same as Mountain witch, under
Mountain.

Partridge pea (Bot.), a yellow-flowered leguminous herb
(Cassia Cham[ae]crista), common in sandy fields in the
Eastern United States.

Partridge shell (Zo["o]l.), 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 (Zo["o]l.), an Asiatic sand partridge
(Ammoperdix Bonhami); -- so called from its note.

Snow partridge (Zo["o]l.), a large spurred partridge
(Lerwa nivicola) which inhabits the high mountains of
Asia.

Spruce partridge. See under Spruce.

Wood partridge, or Hill partridge (Zo["o]l.), any small
Asiatic partridge of the genus Arboricola.

Synonyms: bobwhite, bobwhite quail, Bonasa umbellus, ruffed grouse, tinamou

See Also: Alectoris graeca, Alectoris ruffa, Bonasa, Colinus, Colinus virginianus, covey, family Tinamidae, game bird, genus Bonasa, genus Colinus, gray partridge, Greek partridge, grouse, Hungarian partridge, mountain partridge, mountain quail, northern bobwhite, Oreortyx picta palmeri, Perdicidae, Perdicinae, Perdix perdix, phasianid, quail, red-legged partridge, rock partridge, subfamily Perdicidae, subfamily Perdicinae, Tinamidae, wildfowl

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