THE GAME BREEDER 4$ 



notes will be given upon the shooting affect the birds much if one may judge- 

 over an estate which can boast of being by the number on the ground, and it con- 

 the finest natural partridge shooting in sideraJbly assists the keepers in killing. 

 Hungary, and therefore the best in off the vermin, in which respect also. 

 Europe. • Hungary is plentifully supplied. 



About three hours' journey by train In this country, as the partridges are 

 from Budapest, in the district of Nyitra- far more forward than with us, par- 

 M.egye, is situated the estate of Tot- tridge shooting opens on August 1st, but 

 Megyer, which is owned by Count Louis at Tot-Megyer, where only a few days'' 

 Karolyi, and here indeed is par excel- partridge shooting annually take place,, 

 lence the home of the partridge. When and a great area of the ground is not 

 speaking of this estate as the best nat- shot over at all, it is the custom to shoot 

 ural shooting in Hungary, it is meant to late in August or early in September, 

 distinguish it from other places in the The actual number of days' partridge 

 country where a curious custom is some- shooting is generally only ten in all — 

 times adopted of buying large quantities five days early in the season, and again 

 of birds from other estates and turning five days' hare driving in November, 

 them down on the ground to be shot a over the same ground, when also a good 

 short time before shooting. By this number of partridges are killed, 

 means the extraordinary bag of 2,983 As the fences are few and far be- 

 partridges in a day was killed in 1893 by tween, the general manner of shooting 

 a party of eight guns shooting over the is for the guns to walk in line, with a 

 estates of St. Johann, then owned by the number of beaters between each gun, 

 late Baron Hirsch. Again, in 1894, at and behind each gun a man carrying a 

 the same place, eight guns bagged 2,725 red flag on a long pole, so that it is 

 partridges in a day. The former of easy to see the general line of advance 

 these two stands as a record for numbers and the respective positions of the guns 

 in one day, but as it has been closely when moving through the fields of stand- 

 approached at Tot-Megyer, where none ing maize, which is often higher than a 

 but bona fide wild birds are shot, the man's head. As a general rule, crops 

 two can scarcely be compared. of maize are sown in long strips, with 



The actual extent of Tot-Megyer es- spaces between each where corn of 

 tates is about 60,000 English acres, of various kinds is also sown. The strips 

 which some 7,400 acres are coverts, and of each are from about 50 to 150 yards 

 the remainder cultivated land. The wide, and as soon as the corn has been 

 crops which are cultivated chiefly consist -harvested the birds take refuge in the 

 of maize and various kinds of corn, with maize during the heat of the day. When 

 a certain quantity of mangolds and other the maize is very high it is almost im- 

 roots. The land is so fertile and rich possible to see or shoot well in it. There- 

 in natural food for partridges, that it fore, as the line of guns and beaters 

 is not difficult to see in the autumn how walk across the line or strips in which 

 it is possible for it to carry such an the crops are sown, the most effective 

 immense head of game as it does. But plan is for each gun, on entering a high 

 the natural question which strikes the bit of maize, to push on in advance of 

 mind of a stranger is, how do all these the general line of beaters, and to stand 

 partridges live in the severe winters on the edge of the open stubble on the 

 when the ground is often a long while other side, where he can see to shoot. 

 deep beneath the snow ? The answer The clouds of partridges which come out 

 is, that in such cases vast quantities of of each strip of maize are absolutely 

 wheat are strewn about on the snow bewildering. At first, before any birds 

 by the keepers for the benefit of the have been scattered, coveys come out 

 partridges. Another thing which strikes four and five at a time and get packed 

 the English eye is the absence of any like grouse. Al these birds rising close 

 hedges or suitable places for the birds round the euns. together with swarms 

 to nest in, but this does not appear to of hares, which jump up in every direc- 



