134 THE GUN: AFIELD AND AFLOAT 



pests, pheasants should take high rank in the estimation 

 of the farmer. 



The normal weight of adult cock pheasants ranges 

 from 3 Ib. to 3^ lb., hens being about I Ib. lighter. 

 Birds fed almost exclusively upon maize sometimes 

 weigh as much as 5 lb., the record weight for a maize- 

 fattened cock pheasant being, so far as I am aware, 5 lb. 

 15 oz. 



THE GREY PARTRIDGE. 



In England we now have two distinct kinds of par- 

 tridge, the common or grey partridge, Perdix cinerea, 

 which is indigenous, and the red-legged or French 

 partridge, Caccabis rufa, introduced from the continent 

 of Europe. Whenever the word partridge is mentioned 

 among sportsmen in this country every one is cognizant 

 of the fact that the grey partridge is the bird in question, 

 the other variety being known familiarly as " French- 

 man," or "red-leg." The grey partridge is, par excel- 

 lence^ the popular game-bird of this country. Red 

 grouse, black game, and pheasant may be reserved for 

 more fortunate sportsmen, but north, south, east, or 

 west, nearly all gunning enthusiasts limited though 

 some may be as to time or opportunities may have 

 their share of partridge shooting. And right good 

 health-giving sport it is following the bonnie brown birds 

 over golden stubbles, or amidst luxuriant .root-crops, 

 on gloriously sunny days of our late English summer 

 or early autumn. As a consequence, therefore, of the 

 high esteem in which the partridge is held, both as 

 a sporting bird and as a table delicacy, the opening 

 day of the shooting season, September i, has been 



