HABITS OF THE PARTRIDGE 191 



expenditure of bodily exertion, particularly the first, 

 which has not been inappropriately styled the fox- 

 hunting of all gun sport. But even these hitherto wild 

 sports have, by the battueing system of the age, been 

 shorn of as much labour in the pursuit as possible, by 

 the over-crowded quantities of the game preserved on 

 certain moors and manors. 



The habits of the partridge are httle understood by 

 the generality of sportsmen, who, where there is a 

 scarcity of game, often beat over unnecessarily a great 

 quantity of ground, and tire their dogs to no purpose. 

 As soon as the morning dawns partridges leave their 

 roosting-ground to feed on the stubbles, where they 

 remain until nine or ten o'clock in the morning. In 

 enclosed countries they then draw away to dry pastures, 

 sunny banks, potato-grounds, turnip-fields, or seed 

 clover, which is a very favourite resort. Old and dry 

 fallows also are much frequented, where they pick up 

 small snails and worms. About three o'clock in the 

 afternoon they invariably return to their feeding-ground, 

 on wheat, barley, or oat stubbles, where they remain 

 until the evening closes in ; then calling themselves 

 together, they take flight to their roosting-place, which 

 generally is on a piece of old rough fallow ground, when 

 the stubbles are much disturbed by shooters. 



According to the hour of the day an experienced 

 partridge-shooter knows where to find his game at once, 

 without toiling over unlikely ground. The field should 

 always be traversed by the dogs against the wind, if 

 possible, and beaten over cross ways. I have a decided 

 objection to pointers scoring away straight over the 

 ground, which badly broken dogs will do, as they often 

 leave the birds behind them ; and in this manner I have 



