218 SHOOTING THE PARTRIDGE 



rule. The two best years of the first decade under 

 the walking system yielded as follows : 



Year Partridges 



1868 ...... 3,308 



3,385 



The two best years of the second decade, after 

 driving became the exclusive practice, yielded as 

 follows : 



Year Partridges 



1885 ...... 8,100 



1887 ...... 7,512 



As I am assured that no extraneous or artifical 

 means have been introduced for the increase of the 

 stock since the driving began, I think it is hardly 

 necessary to go farther in order to settle for ever the 

 question as to the effect of the latter system upon the 

 totals of a partridge manor. I confess these figures 

 show an increase which exceeds what I should have 

 expected in partridges, although it is well known that 

 with grouse the increases are, on many moors, much 

 larger in proportion. The fact that 1887, known as 

 the 'Jubilee' year, was the most productive season 

 known, say for a quarter of a century, makes the 

 value of the total for 1885 still more remarkable. 



To turn to another famous game county, though 

 vastly inferior to Norfolk in conditions of soil and 



