PARTRIDGES 51 
a really good stock of birds has been left, such as 
a ‘Grange’ stock, for instance, after a fairish year, 
and a farmer possesses a piece of forward vetches, 
and the weather is such that snow covers stubbles, 
clover, etc., but not the vetches. Then, unless a 
thaw quickly arrives, partridges are liable to peck 
off the tops of the vetches somewhat severely. But 
it was admitted, in mitigation of this one slight 
failing, that partridges at their worst inflict nothing 
approaching the damage done by the winter flocks 
of gluttonous pigeons. 
Here’s to your health, you bonny brown British 
partridges, with many happy returns of good seasons, 
in which I may drive you over other people, or 
shoot at your hurtling forms myself; I don’t care 
which, for both these things are fine sport. And 
may you never, like those yellow-fatted pheasants, 
be brought under the sordid thumb of 4 s. d.! 
