62 



TETRAONID^E. 



shot ninety-two brace during one season intermediate between the 

 two periods of scarcity. Some persons imagine that the increased 

 cultivation of clover — a crop which is cut early — has kept the 

 numbers down considerably by the destruction of the nests. 

 The neglect, even on preserved grounds in the south, with respect 

 to the destruction of vermin, is much dwelt upon by sportsmen as 

 causing a decrease of numbers. Until 1847 they were extremely 

 scarce in the neighbourhood of Cork, but have since been found in 

 greater quantities.* Generally speaking, two or three and in well 

 preserved grounds five covies may be considered the most to be 

 seen here in a day's shooting/'t 



A communication received in April 1849 from Mr. George 

 Jackson, gamekeeper to the Earl of Bantry at Glengariff, presents 

 in some degree an exception to the foregoing, with respect to the 

 places alluded to. He remarks, 



" On Lord Bantry's estate here, there was an ahundance of partridge, but in the 

 year 1846 they nearly all disappeared in a most extraordinary manner, and the same 

 thing occurred, I believe, through the whole of this county (Cork). I was credi- 

 bly informed it did so at Lord De Freyne's, French park, co. Roscommon, and also 

 at Mr. Cooper's, Markree castle, co. Sligq. They bred as usual ; the covies were 

 numerous, and the birds strong on the wing. 



" When training the young pointers in August, I found the number of birds dimi- 

 nishing in the different coveys almost daily. At last many coveys had disappeared 

 entirely ; and when the shooting season came but few birds could be found, nor 

 could I find any of them dead. Not many birds were shot that season, but on a number 

 that were I remarked large wens on their necks and breasts. Most people here who 

 were thought competent judges considered these to be caused by the birds feeding on 

 the diseased potato. I thought so myself at the time ; but as the disease has been 

 every year since in the potato, while the partridges are recovering and becoming 

 rather numerous again, I conclude we were mistaken as to the cause. 



" In this very mountainous district (the country between Bantry bay and the bay of 

 Kinmare, nearly the whole of which is the property of Loi'd Bantry, or members of 

 his family) I frequently find coveys far distant from any cultivated land. Curiosity 

 caused me to examine what they fed on, and I found in then' stomach some seeds of 

 a course kind of grass indigenous to the place, some kind of green herbage, and a 

 quantity of spiders that are numerous among the heath." 



The crop and gizzard of six out of seven partridges shot at 



* 1848. f Dr. Harvev of Cork. 



