!8 5 Partridges. 



practice of dealing with what are loosely termed the " old 

 cocks" upon lines more akin to those which are applied 

 to pheasants than what should be the case as regards 

 partridges. The eventual result in either case is that a 

 preponderance of hen-birds is left, and what is to me 

 rather curious a packing in small quantities of cock-birds 

 just about mating-time. The remedy for this state of 

 things must partake of a twofold nature. In the first 

 place, shooting should finish at the end of December, and 

 the killing of all the really old cocks be left to the keepers 

 during January, and then, according to the season, if late 

 or early, the whole of the stock should be beaten up and 

 the pairs already made broken, either at the end or middle 

 of February. It must be carried out in wholesale manner 

 to be effective, and each beat or the whole preserve be dealt 

 with at one time. A general round-up of the birds should 

 be made, driving them to a common centre, and then 

 dispersing them again, or they should be driven from one 

 side of the beat or preserve to the other upon one day, and 

 back again the next. The result of such manoeuvres is 

 exactly opposite to what those unacquainted with the pro- 

 cedure might suppose, and although the birds mated up to 

 that point may be sundered, the eventual outcome is a far 

 less percentage of barreners than would otherwise be the 

 case. There results further a far greater commixture of 

 the partridge blood there may be upon the estate than is at 

 all likely under ordinary conditions. 



Another point necessary of elucidation is that relating 

 to the brooding of the partridge. It is a very common 

 error to suppose that this game-bird broods a second time. 

 Late broods mean late nesting. Once a partridge has 

 incubated her eggs, if only for one twenty-four hours, she 

 does not, if her nest be disturbed, destroyed, or if she 

 by any reason of weather or otherwise be caused to 



