76 PARTRIDGE SHOOTING. 



mode we are told to destroy the superabundance of 

 cocks is, during the first weeks of the season, to net 

 the covey, and destroy all the old cocks, leaving only as 

 many young ones as hens, or even one less ; for it is 

 certainly better that the hen should look for the cock 

 (which she undoubtedly will find), than a number of 

 cocks for a hen. It should be recollected that, where 

 old birds are left, they will, at the pairing season, 

 drive off the youngsters, and prevent their breeding ; 

 for let any sportsman declare if ever, on finding a 

 single brace of partridges in the shooting season that 

 have not bred, and are termed by the sportsman a 

 gelt pair, he has found a covey near the same place 

 where he found them; which can only be accounted 

 for by the old birds driving the young ones from the 

 breeding grounds. Indeed, if some of the cocks are 

 not killed every year, the chances will be, the district 

 will in time become destitute of game. 



When the eggs are hatched, the young birds can 

 run at once ; and so immediate is this, that they have 

 been seen with parts of the shell still sticking to 

 them. When partridges' eggs are introduced under 

 the common hen, she will hatch them, and rear them 

 indiscriminately with her own. The favourite and 

 one of the most necessary sorts of food of the young 

 partridge, is ants' eggs ; these must be procured for 

 birds hatched under foster care. The male and 

 female bird have a different call : the cock has a 

 sharp and strong call; the hen partridge a low and 

 softer one. The jucking noise peculiar to their 



