THE BOOK OF MIGRATORY BIRDS 



this comes about more markedly in recent years, probably 

 in consequence of the introduction of foreign strains for 

 crossing purposes. Both the French and the Hungarian 

 birds have been largely used for this purpose. 



The partridge is a flat runner, and the sportsman, in 

 his novitiate days, is not a little deceived as to the where- 

 abouts of the birds, after alighting to the ground. In 

 order to ensure their salvation, they use their legs very 

 nimbly in running a considerable distance. 



II. 



From inquiries made on estates in different parts of the 

 country, the writer learns that all is well with partridges, 

 although nearly every correspondent laments the scarcity 

 of nests. However, so far as the keepers are concerned, 

 the birds are breeding under ideal conditions, everything 

 possible having been done to safeguard them. Never 

 have rats and other vermin been so closely killed down, 

 and the crow or magpie nest which has escaped the 

 keeper's keen eye is cleverly concealed indeed. Foxes, 

 too, must wonder at the care bestowed upon them, and 

 never have vixens had an easier task to feed their cubs; 

 food, such as freshly killed rabbits and rooks, has been 

 placed near every earth, the idea being to keep the vixen 

 owning it from hunting and interfering with sitting birds. 



Foxes are very deadly among partridge broods when 

 the latter first hatch and run, as the chicks trailing along 

 after the two parent birds leave a very strongly scented 

 trail, and once a fox strikes it he has no difficulty in 

 following it till the brood is found. If it were not for 

 the clever habit the old partridges have of fluttering away 

 and decoying a fox from the youngsters, hardly a brood 

 would escape destruction ; but this device does not always 

 answer if the aggressor is a fox several seasons old who 

 has learned from experience. Keepers say that they would 

 sooner have a dozen youngsters to contend with than one 

 a year or two old, the cunning of the latter enabling it 



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