Partridge (mythology)

In Greek mythology, Perdix (in Greek, Πέρδιξ) was the son of the sister of Daedalus, whose student he was.

Pérdix is considered the inventor of several instruments, mainly for woodworking. Perdix is sometimes confused with Talos (then calling Perdix the sister of Daedalus) or Callos, but according to mythographers it is better to consider the various legends about the three as referring to a single person: Daedalus's nephew.

The inventions attributed to Perdix are: the saw, whose idea is said to have been inspired by the spine of a fish or the jaw of a snake, the chisel, the compass and the pottery wheel. His abilities provoked the jealousy of Daedalus, who ended up pushing him from the top of the temple of Athena on the Acropolis, but the goddess, who favors ingenuity, saw him fall and changed his destiny, transforming him into a bird named after him: the partridge. This bird does not nest in trees or fly high, but nests in hedges and avoids high places, mindful of its fall. For his crime, Daedalus was tried and banished.