REPORT OF MONTANA FISH AND GAME COMMISSION 



11 



\ot only has the State of Wasliington been stocked from this ship- 

 ment but some of them have di'ifted over into certain counties in 

 Idaho, and portions of Idaho stocked with them. We are informed 

 that in Spokane County alone, over 100,000 of these birds were killed 

 during the open season of 1920 and that it is estimated that this num- 

 ber can be killed there each year without depleting their brood stock. 



The same success has been had with the Hungarian in Alberta, 

 where a number of years ago a shipment of these birds were liber- 

 ated. They have done so well there that they now have an open season 

 on them in that country and a large number of birds are killed each 

 year. The birds have scattered from where they were liberated all 

 over the province of Alberta and some of them have even drifted down 

 into the Northern tier of counties in Montana. 



In a letter received from the Game officials of that province, it is 

 stated that it is not necessary to feed these birds there in winter. Cer- 

 tain it is that if they can withstand the rigors of the Canadian win- 

 ters they can withstand those of Montana. As a matter of precau- 

 tion, however, I believe that should the snow become deep and stay 

 long, feed boxes filled with grain and grit should be put out. 



The Hungarian Partridge is as game a bird as a sportsman ever 

 hunted. He lies well to a dog and is found in flocks a good deal like 

 the quail, but is much faster than the quail. He is about twice or 

 nearly three times the size of an ordinary quail. The head and throat 

 are a reddish brown with faint reddish stripes on the crown. The 

 neck and breast are a bluish gray with a large spot of brown on the 

 breast. The back is gray striped with brown, the wings are brown 

 mottled with gray and yellow. A glance at the cut of the two Hun- 

 garians shown in this article will give you some idea of this splendid 

 bird. 



HUNGARIAN PARTRIDGES 



