BY MANY HANDS 143 



In 1909 and 1910, though our hest years, a number 

 of birds died from gapes and from some other disease, 

 which I presume to have been a form of enteritis. I put 

 this down to the evil influence of the Hungarian eggs, 

 and possibly to the now prevalent practice of putting 

 chickens on the stubbles. We feed our partridges with 

 hay-seed when there is deep snow. 



Our beats are roughly 1000 acres each. In an open 

 season I never shoot any partridges after 31st December, 

 as so many have already paired, and these are just the 

 ones which would get shot. 



I regret to say that I do not yet know what would be 

 too large a stock to leave on the ground. For the last 

 four years the stock and the bags have been steadily 

 increasing, which is entirely due to (1) driving only, (2) 

 killing vermin, (3) finding and looking after the nests. 

 1910 was our best year, when we killed 800 brace. We 

 could have shot many more, but only had four days' 

 shooting with six guns, and a few odd days, and I now 

 think that there is as big a stock on the ground as it 

 will carry. We have now had three very good seasons 

 running. 



LOGAN, MULL OF GALLOWAY 



(Notes by Mr. M' VICAR, head-keeper to 

 KENNETH M'DOUALL, Esq.) 



The Logan shootings are some 15,000 acres in extent, 

 the soil for the most part of a light loam, sandy in some 

 parts, and with occasional stretches of clay. Tillage and 

 permanent grass are about equal in area, the land being 

 worked on a six years' system of rotation corn, turnips, 

 corn, and three years in grass. 



On part of the ground the natural nesting ground is 

 good, mostly in the form of rough patches of whin and 

 hedgerows, but over a large proportion of the estate bare 



