PARTRIDGE REARING 
Mile Bottom country in Cambridgeshire, the nests are less likely to be 
destroyed, either by grass cutting operations or the poaching practices of 
rooks, jackdaws and carrion crows. 
At Sandringham and Welbeck “ remises ” have been formed on the 
Hungarian system, for the purpose of giving quiet feeding and nesting 
places, and these have proved very successful. In other places, where the 
owners have not cared to go to the expense of making “ remises,” certain 
corners of badly shaped fields (for agricultural purposes) have been taken 
out of cultivation, the rough, natural grasses allowed to spring up, broom 
and sunflowers sown, thereby producing quiet corners to which birds 
can retire when the surrounding fields are much disturbed by the ordinary 
routine work of the farm; this is greatly appreciated by them. Where 
this plan is carried out care must, of course, be taken that the thistle 
heads are cut before they seed, otherwise they would become a nuisance 
to the surrounding farmers. 
Narrow paths should be cut the last week in March or first week in 
April, as English partridges prefer, as a rule, to nest near the edge of 
thick covert ; this will also make it easier for the keeper to find and watch 
the nests; if the country is a dry one, it would be advisable to place a 
drinking water pan in one of the paths. A permanent basin one and a half 
yards in diameter can be made for about twelve shillings, with clay 
bottom; once filled it will keep full, but must be cleaned out now and 
then. Properly made, such basins will last for years. 
Where the land is heavy, and ‘‘ driving ” is possible, red-legged part- 
ridges will flourish, and should be encouraged; they will very likely 
save the situation in a moderate season, as they nest in belts, on old 
haystacks, and even in low trees, frequently hatching and bringing up 
their families through a wet season that has played havoc with the English 
cousins. 
It was formerly held by some that the red-legged birds fought and drove 
away the English, but this is not the case; many instances have been 
known in which red -legs have laid in English partridge’s nests, and the 
latter birds have eventually hatched them off. 
A sprinkling of red-legs on a driving beat is an advantage in two ways: 
for instance, supposing a root field to have been stocked with English 
partridges, they are liable to alight and run together and get up in one great 
pack directly the drivers enter the field. This will mean that a very small 
proportion will be shot as they dash over the guns; whereas, if there are 
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