Practical Game-Preserving. 154 



probability, be freshly -caught birds, in the best of condi- 

 tion, and come as straight from their place of origin as is 

 possible under the circumstances. The fact that they 

 may arrive to cold weather here does not influence the 

 matter, as the foreign birds would, under natural condi- 

 tions in their own country, come into much greater cold 

 about the same time than they would be exposed to in this 

 one. It is unnecessary to detail the reasons why Hun- 

 garian birds should not be obtained at a later date; 

 sufficient to state that December is the latest time of the 

 partridge season when they should be on hand here. 



If the birds arrive upon the preserve late in the day or 

 at night-time, they should be allowed to remain quietly 

 and undisturbed in the hampers until next day. The 

 hampers should be placed out of doors, or in an open 

 shed, but in such position that they may not be exposed 

 to draughts. In any case, do not interfere with them till 

 daylight. Then they must be placed in pens. Provision 

 in this respect must be made beforehand. The pens 

 necessary for the purpose must be movable ones, and as 

 large as possible, say i2ft. long by 4ft. wide, and 

 3ft. 6in. high. They must be boarded up along the sides 

 and ends to about half their height, and covered otherwise 

 with twine netting of about Jin. to fin. mesh. Wire 

 netting is quite unsuitable for the purpose, as the birds are 

 sure to injure themselves against it when first released. 

 Three or four pairs are sufficient to place in each pen of 

 the size named, and it will be found better to duplicate the 

 pens than to increase the size of them and the number 

 placed in them. 



As soon as the birds are released, water and flint grit 

 should be provided them, and if the pens be upon turf 

 as they should be, the partridges will soon commence to 

 feed from the grass, as green food is more essential to them 



