157 Partridges. 



for ear-marking sheep, but lighter and smaller, should 

 be employed, and a small hole punched through the web 

 of one wing. This is easily done if two persons assist at 

 the operation, and, beyond a little stiffness, causes little or 

 no inconvenience or pain to the bird operated upon. The 

 mark left is sufficiently distinctive, and can be varied in 

 its position on the web or the right or left wing according 

 to circumstances which may influence the case, such as the 

 beat upon which the birds are turned down, or whether 

 neighbouring preservers are pursuing a similar policy or 

 not and it is desired to mark both lots of birds but in a 

 different manner. 



Let us now consider what role these imported birds may 

 be made to play upon British preserves. In the first 

 instance, there is the fact of the infusion of an entirely 

 new strain of blood. The effect of this upon an exhausted 

 or stale stock must always be very marked ; but unless the 

 proper steps be taken to see that the imported birds do not 

 mate with one another in the first season, little effect will 

 be apparent until the second, and then probably to a reduced 

 extent. It will be found that it is more effective at times 

 to turn away about twenty-five per cent, more hens than 

 cocks, and by not killing off the cock birds of the indi- 

 genous stock quite so closely as is usual a more extensive 

 and effective mingling of blood is obtained the first season 

 than would otherwise be the case. 



Other circumstances which make the turning away of 

 Hungarian Partridges a valuable procedure are those which 

 arise during or following very bad partridge years, such 

 as was, for instance, the case in 1903 over a widespread 

 district of England. In this instance the great destruc- 

 tion was amongst the young birds, although many old 

 birds fell victims to the visitation. In cases such as this, 

 local or general, the turning down of Hungarian birds in 



