167 Partridges. 



twine-netting. If necessary, the central space may be 

 utilised for extra pens. 



From the description which has been given of this 

 system in its main features, it will be observed that it is in 

 no way to be compared with that of hand-rearing 

 pheasants, nor is it in itself a system of hand-rearing 

 partridges. It is, however, of considerable value, and 

 provides a reserve of birds under circumstances such as 

 have been only too frequent and widespread of late years, 

 when birds have been drowned out by the hundred, 

 especially upon the lower lands. The sites for the 

 enclosures being adequately chosen, parent birds, the 

 eggs, and the chicks at very early age, are placed beyond 

 the reach of floods, and, to a large extent, protected from 

 spells of bad weather, so that, even should disaster overcome 

 the bulk of the wild birds upon a manor, there would still 

 remain a sufficient reserve partly, if not wholly, to make 

 good the loss for the following season, without incurring 

 the great expense which disasters of the nature mentioned 

 cause. 



It stands to reason that the initial expenditure entailed 

 by the adoption to any extent of this system is somewhat 

 heavy, and would scarcely be possible upon anything but 

 a partridge manor of considerable size; but there is no 

 doubt that it can be applied to some extent, and in 

 possibly modified form, upon smaller partridge estates. 

 In any case, however, the initial cost would have to be 

 spread over a number of years when counting results as 

 compared with expenditure. 



What has been written so far concerning the Continental 

 system has been descriptive of what may be termed the 

 idea as originally determined ; but it may well be that all 

 the surroundings necessary to full and complete success 

 may not be present upon a British preserve, and it has to 



