Caccabis rufa

At first glance, this piece of taxidermy by Thomas Hall of London seems unremarkable. Its true relevance is only revealed through the accompanying information. This Red-legged Partridge (otherwise known as a French Partridge) is the oldest piece of taxidermy in Norwich Castle's collection. This specimen was shot in Norfolk by H.C. Collison in 1790.

This species was only introduced into the country earlier that same year. In 1790 both the Earl of Bristol and Baron Rendlesham imported Red-legged Partridge eggs to their Suffolk estates from the Continent, and the young birds quickly escaped and spread into Norfolk. The Red-legged Partridge has since become a common feature of this region's landscape, but this specimen must be one of the first ever to live, and be shot, in East Anglia.