77 [Vol. xv. 



Mr. Read also gave an instance of the fact that a sitting 

 Partridge has no scent, or at all events not the same scent 

 which it has during the shooting-season. Accompanied by 

 a friend with a magnificent pointer, they entered a field, 

 where a Partridge was sitting on its nest in a small tussock. 

 Although they took the dog many times past the tussock, both 

 up and down wind, it took not the slightest notice of the bird. 



Dr. Hartert stated that this curious fact of game-birds 

 having no scent when breeding had. been noticed by various 

 German writers of sporting books. 



Mr. Trevor-Battye said he could corroborate this fact, 

 a " chow" dog which he possessed behaving in a similar way 

 in the case of a sitting Partridge, although otherwise it was 

 very keen in finding birds' nests. 



Mr. Witherby stated that a few days previously he had 

 found a Pheasant's nest in an open heath, and from the 

 feathers round the nest and. sucked eggs he concluded that 

 it had been destroyed by a fox. It seemed to him probable 

 that the latter had found the sitting bird by scent. An 

 unbroken egg was fresh. 



Mr. Meade-Waldo remarked that on the day the eggs of a 

 Partridge or Pheasant hatched there was a strong scent, possibly 

 from the young birds, and that great numbers were destroyed 

 by foxes and other vermin just as they were hatching. 



The Earl of Gainsborough observed that his old friend 

 Grantley Berkeley fully 40 years ago had called his attention 

 to the fact that sitting game-birds had no scent*. 



* [Two somewhat similar instances of Blackcocks apparently devoid of 

 scent and able to evade the dogs in search of them may be of interest : — 



It was desired to procure certain moulting Blackcocks in hen-like 

 plumage in the beginning of August, but after nearly a fortnight's work, 

 with good dogs, only two were procured, though it was known that plenty 

 of birds were on the ground. 



While driving some birch-woods for Blackgame, a Blackcock was seen 

 to pitch in front of the guns and run into a small clump of bramble and 

 bracken. This spot was subsequently worked by an excellent setter 

 without result, but as the " guns " moved away, the bird having apparently 

 gone, it was seen to leave the other side of the bramble-patch and fly 

 off.— Ed.] 



