THE COMMON PARTRIDGE. 



185 



Some proprietors, in order to increase the stock of 

 Partridges on their estates and improve the breed by the 

 introduction of fresh blood, have purchased eggs from a 

 distance and reared young birds from them. Neither 

 this method, nor the turning down of old birds procured 

 from other parts of the country, is, however, found to 

 succeed so well as the simple plan of changing the eggs 

 in the nests on a property every season, a few being 

 taken from each nest discovered before incubation has 

 begun, and replaced by those in the same state from 

 another nest. It would appear that the birds in a brood 

 pair with each other under ordinary circumstances, and 

 the produce is then apt to be small in number and weak ; 

 but when the eggs are changed in the manner indicated 

 fresh blood is introduced and the stock is consequently 

 greatly strengthened and increased. 



The Partridge sometimes suffers much in Berwickshire 

 from the effects of heavy storms of rain and snow. The 

 wet summer of 1877 destroyed great numbers all over 



