62 
TETRAONID^.. 
shot ninety- two brace during one season intermediate between the 
two periods of scarcity. Some persons imagine that the increased 
cultivation of clover — a crop which is cut early — has kept the 
numbers down considerably by the destruction of the nests. 
The neglect, even on preserved grounds in the south, with respect 
to the destruction of vermin, is much dwelt upon by sportsmen as 
causing a decrease of numbers. Until 1847 they were extremely 
scarce in the neighbourhood of Cork, but have since been found in 
greater quantities.* Generally speaking, two or three and in well 
preserved grounds five covies may be considered the most to be 
seen here in a day^s shooting.’’^ t 
A communication received in April 1849 from Mr. George 
Jackson, gamekeeper to the Earl of Ban try at Glengariff, presents 
in some degree an exception to the foregoing, with respect to the 
places alluded to. He remarks, 
“On Lord Bantry’s estate here, there was an abundance of partridge, but in the 
year 1846 they nearly all disappeared in a most extraordinary manner, and the same 
thing occurred, I believe, through the whole of this county (Cork). I was credi- 
bly informed it did so at Lord De Freyne’s, French park, co. Roscommon, and also 
at Mr. Cooper’s, Markree castle, co. Sligo. They bred as usual ; the covies were 
numerous, and the birds strong on the wing. 
“ When training the young pointers in August, I found the number of birds dimi- 
nishing in the different coveys almost daily. At last many coveys had disappeared 
entirely ; and when the shooting season came but few birds could be found, nor 
could I find any of them dead. Not many birds were shot that season, hut on a number 
that were I remarked large wens on their necks and breasts. Most people here who 
were thought competent judges considered these to be caused by the birds feeding on 
the diseased potato. I thought so myself at the time ; but as the disease has been 
every year since in the potato, while the partridges are recovering and becoming 
rather numerous again, I conclude we. were mistaken as to the cause. 
“ In this very mountainous district (the country between Bantry hay and the bay of 
Kinmare, nearly the whole of which is the property of Lord Bantry, or members of 
his family) 1 frequently find coveys far distant from any cultivated land. Curiosity 
caused me to examine what they fed on, and I found in their stomach some seeds of 
a course kind of grass indigenous to the place, some kind of green herbage, and a 
quantity of spiders that are numerous among the heath.” 
The crop and gizzard of six out of seven partridges shot at 
* 1848. 
t Dr. Harvey of Cork. 
