2 
COMMON PAllT R IDGE. 
unless tlie fields are well protected with hushes, and the depredators kept in constant fear of interruption 
I ascertained from some of the worthies who make a living by bird-catching and dragging at night for 
Larks (which occiqoation of course includes the capture of every feathered creature coming within their 
clutches), that the bushes in the fields give considerable trouble, the land on which they are placed 
needing to he carefully examined by day and a wide berth allowed to the obstacles when at work. Barley, 
stubbles are reckoned the most attractive roosting-places for Partridges, though, of course, wind, weather 
and other circumstances only learned by experience have to be considered. The present system of close- 
cutting, which has now been carried on for over the last twenty years, finds little favour in the eyes of 
these men, as their prey is more easily sprung on the approach of danger. A new lay of clover, intended 
for the next year’s feeding, and also rape are likewise favourite resorts for the birds, and require extra 
guarding, as the poachers are well aware of the fact. Eleven brace obtained in one night is the highest 
take I have heard of, my informant also stating that he had now and then secured eight or nine, and 
once a dozen Partridges at one drop of the net. Early in the season the majority of the young birds 
are small and weak, and a few even succeed in effecting their escape, though towai-ds the close of winter 
when they have gained strength, some occasionally go right through the net, should it happen to he old 
and worn. Hares are now and then taken, if rolled up and entangled, hut more often they force their 
way through the nets and tear away a portion. 
The following letter which appeared in ‘The Eield’ of September 3, 1881, gives such an excellent 
and amusing account of the attempts made by the writer, a well-known sportsman, to find a means to 
check this kind of poaching, that I offer no apology for inserting it in ‘ Kough Notes’: 
“Partridge Nets. 
“Sir, The partridge-season is at hand, and the poachers will be running their nets. I got hold 
of a poacher s net, and I have been running it over the fields in daylight, to try and find out the best 
means of stopping it. The net is 35 yards long and 12 yards deep, made of very fine string, with a 
laijjC mesh, it uill loll up into a ball about the size of a hat-box. Sometimes the nets are made of 
silk, seventy or eighty yards long; but they are very expensive, £9 or £10. A common partridge-net, 
such as I was using, can he got at any net factory for 25^. or 30s. 
“Ihe most usual appliances employed for the prevention of netting are gorse bushes, branches, 
rambles, thorns, and stakes. I tried the net over the whole of these. Eirst we tried a gorse hush, with 
a green head standing firmly about two feet out of the ground ; the bush yielded, and the net passed 
over like a tablecloth— nothing to catch it. MTien the gorse bush was stuck lightly in the ground the 
net took it away, and the gorse bush acted ; it gave two or three somersaults, and wisped up the net; 
but when the gorse bush was placed so lightly in the ground that it would go away with the net, it would 
a so go away with the first breeze. Verdict, gorse bush not effectual. IVe next tried brambles. -When 
lying on the ground they are very low, and only caught the tail or drag of the net; we felt them strike 
r n time we got to the end of 
the field they were merely hanging in the net where they had first struck. IVe pegged out the net, and 
they were pulled out quite easily. Verdict, brambles won’t do. ^Ve then tried branches, stuck in pretty 
farm, 3 ft. or 4 ft. out of the ground. Green pliable branches were of no use, they yielded, and the net 
travelled over ; stag-headed, stiff, half-dead branches were pulled out and rolled over and over, and made 
a rare mess; wild roses did the same thing, only better, if they went away with the net. Half-dead 
arch branches are good, the little nobhly warts and cones catch the net. Old gorse that has been clean 
burnt leaving a long stag-headed stump we found good to lay down loose, it won’t blow and tumbles 
iig ler the net is caught the better, but we found nothing so effectual a stopper as a good 
