General Remarks. 1 1 1 



pointed out to those readers who turn down 

 foreign partridges In a hunting district. Wherever 

 possible a majority of hen birds should be released, 

 for cocks are sure to be in preponderance at the 

 pairing season. When a nest Is destroyed by a 

 fox it Is generally the hen bird which is taken and 

 the cock which escapes, and this accounts for 

 birds of the male sex predominating where foxes 

 are preserved. An excess of cock partridges 

 is well known to be productive of much harm, for 

 these disappointed old bachelors Interfere with 

 other pairs and at times go so far as to upset both 

 nest and eggs. If a nest Is found deserted, and 

 the eggs broken or displaced, a fox Is nearly 

 certain to be blamed, especially If a fight between 

 the two cock birds has occurred, and a few 

 feathers are scattered around as the result of the 

 scrimmage. Even if unpaired cock partridges do 

 not go so far as to disturb a sitting bird they 

 linger round the nest attempting to fight the cock 

 belonging to it, and such a scent is diffused 

 around that a passing fox can hardly fail to 

 detect It. 



Like sporting dogs, foxes vary as regards keen- 

 ness of scenting faculties, some having better 

 noses than others. A particular fox also will be 

 found to have a nose for a particular thing ; for 



