BY MANY HANDS 171 



THE HOO, HERTFORDSHIRE 



(Notes by Mr. Ross, head-keeper to 

 VISCOUNT HAMPDEN.) 



Extent. 4500 acres. Soil, loam on chalk. 85 per 

 cent cultivation to grass. The land tilled on a four years' 

 course of cropping. 



Nesting Ground. Hedges with additional quicks planted, 

 with annual planting of some young plantations in narrow 

 belts, or in clumps with a southerly exposure, with a view 

 also, if possible, for driving over. Where free from 

 public footpaths, small enclosures of about a yard square 

 are made of wire-netting, left open for 6 inches at the 

 bottom, to allow the birds to pass through freely. 



Nesting Season. We find as many nests as possible 

 early in the season ; when the herbage gets long, much 

 harm may be done by poking about, making birds forsake. 

 I find that the weather is very often unsuitable for doing 

 much among nests in the early morning, and that it is 

 better to give attention to vermin traps, etc., when heavy 

 dew or morning frost show footprints too plainly, and 

 visit the nests later. From 3.30 P.M. till dark I find a 

 good time, and the best to tell what birds are preparing 

 to sit down. The nests are visited, as far as possible, 

 every day. Our nests average 14 eggs. All eggs in 

 dangerous places are lifted, and incubated to chipping 

 point, when they are changed again with the sham or 

 clear eggs which were given to the partridge instead. 



I cannot say that rearing partridges has been very 

 successful here so far. In this hunting country some of 

 our neighbours rear a few partridges in wired enclosures 

 of about 20 acres with 4-inch mesh netting. It is true 

 this helps to keep a good stock, but the birds are found 

 to give poor sport, and the expense is out of proportion 

 to the result. I do not believe in Hungarian birds for 

 change of blood. I think that they spoil the stamina of 



