PRESERVATION 123 



large central enclosures, in which from 

 100 to 150 brace of birds would be penned. 

 On such a scale the results of success 

 would form a very tangible quantity in 

 the shooting season. The whole idea of 

 penning partridges for laying is un- 

 doubtedly capable of considerable varia- 

 tion at the hands of skilful operators, and 

 it seems quite possible that semi-domesti- 

 cated partridges might even be induced to 

 abandon their monogamous habits. 



The introduction of Hungarian part- 

 ridges into this country is a novel feature 

 of game preservation. When first sug- 

 gested some fifteen years ago, the idea 

 was welcomed as the panacea for all ills 

 on partridge ground, but of recent years 

 Hungarians have proved a fruitful source 

 of controversy. Rightly or wrongly they 

 have been blamed for impairing the 

 stamina of our native stock and introduc- 

 ing new forms of disease. 'Hungarians' 

 is, of course, a very loose term, and includes 

 grey partridges from every part of 

 Germany and the Austrian Empire. It 



