The covey at sunrise, partridge

'In 1919 Baird-Carter, Thorburn's dealer died and was succeeded by William Fraser Embleton, already known to Thorburn, for he had been apprenticed to Baird-Carter and later became his assistant. Embleton and Thorburn were to become good friends as well as successful business associates. Each fortnight Embleton would journey to Hascombe to spend the day with Thorburn and return with finished watercolours and commissions for waiting clients. Embleton was one of the favoured few
allowed to sit and watch Thorburn painting.' (J. Southern, Thorburn's Birds and Mammals, London, 1986, p. 16).