PABTRIDGE SHOOTING. 7\ 



not allowing some to be killed, that in a short time their grounds 

 wiU be entirely destitute of game. We are told that the late Earl 

 of Kingston had a great quantity of grouse on his mountains ia 

 Ireland before they were preserved, but he thought that by leaving 

 them quiet for a couple of seasons, that he should have had a mucS 

 greater abundance ; ne therefore did not allow a shot to be fired. 

 on those mountains for two seasons, and it is well known they were 

 carefully preserved during the whole time. On collecting, how- 

 ever, a large party the third season, and going out to grouse, many 

 of the gentlemen who had been in the habit of going out to shoot 

 there_ prior to its being preserved, were surprised to find a great 

 scarcity ; and the reason of this was, that the older birds drove the 

 young ones off, and all the mountains adjoining his lordship's pre- 

 serves were swarming with game, although they had not been 

 preserved. 



The principle of domesticity is not very strong in the partridge. 

 Those birds which have been reared under a hen soon manifest 

 their dislike to confinement. They . gradually become wild, and 

 eventually fly off altogether to enjoy their native freedom. 



It is an established maxim in partridge shooting, that broken 

 coveys yield the best sport. It has been whimsically said, that while 

 the young birds have the old ones with them they are " up to every 

 move on the board." Deprived of their natui-al leaders and protec- 

 tors, they seem lost, and have no settled idea of safety. This is 

 the fortunate time for sportsmen to make play upon them and 

 press liis dogs to ferret them out, and trace them from one spot to 

 another. 



As tlie season advances, the size of the shot to be used ^ for 

 partridge shooting should be enlarged. Por the first fortnight 

 Nos. 5 and 6 are recommended ; after this Nos. 4 and 5. In 

 I October, No. 3 will be found the most eligible. 

 j The Red-legged or Guernsey Partridge ( Tetrao Rufus, Linn. ) This 

 :is often called the Erench partridge. It is larger than the gray 

 one, and the bill and irides are red. The forehead is gray brown ; 

 the hind head is rufous brown; the chin and throat white, encircled 

 t with black ; and there is likewise a band of white over each eye to 

 ithe hind head. The fore part of the neck and sides of it are 

 I cinereous, with two spots of black on each feather, and the hind 

 part of the neck is rufous brown. The back, wings, and rump, are. 

 of a grayish brown ; the breast, pale ash colour. The belly, sides, 

 ) and thighs, are rufous ; the sides marked with lunular streaks of 

 [white, black, and orange. The c[uills are gray brown, with the 

 j outer edges yellowish. The tail is composed of sixteen feathers ; 

 ; the four middle ones are rufous on both sides. The legs are red, 

 I and the male only has the blunt knob or spur behind. It is a 

 t common pastime in the Isle of Cyprus to use these birds as we do 

 1 game-cocks, for the rational amusement of the people. 

 I This kind of pai'tridge is very abundant in most parts of Europe, 

 \ Asia, and Africa. Surprising stories are told of their numbers in 



