153 Partridges. 



Their inborn, ingrained habits are such as quite to unfit 

 them for establishment upon our preserves, and there is 

 certainly a very large percentage of the truly Hungarian 

 birds which are brought over here quite unsuited for 

 turning away in this country. Then, again, birds are 

 brought over here from Bohemia, other parts of Austria, 

 and Germany which have no right to be classed in the 

 same category j so that, altogether, whatever measure of 

 success may have followed upon and no doubt has 

 followed upon their introduction and employment, has 

 been due not to the intrinsically meritorious lines upon 

 which the traffic has been conducted, but rather to the good 

 fortune which has attended some of those who have 

 embarked in this direction. The probability is that not 

 one-tenth of all the Hungarian and allied partridges put 

 down in this country have survived to exercise any material 

 benefit upon the home stock. That there are legitimate 

 sources of valuable supply there is no doubt, and if they 

 can be tapped with certainty it is equally indubitable that 

 the influence of birds from them when turned down is 

 entirely beneficial. Whether, however, it is an economi- 

 cally sound policy remains to be seen. 



It thus follows that any preserver determining to turn 

 away Hungarian Partridges must, in the first instance, 

 satisfy himself as to the source of his birds, and the 

 nature of them. It is quite easy to obtain birds of the 

 right sort from trustworthy firms. By the right sort is 

 implied birds of similar stamp and race to our own, of 

 thoroughly healthy stock. That birds commanding these 

 qualifications will be hardy is assured, and that they should 

 prove prolific there is no valid reason for doubting. True 

 Hungarian birds should be available for delivery here in 

 England in November and the first portion of December, 

 or even during all December. They will then, in all 



