THE GUN AT HOME AND ABROAD 
Of course it is fatal to shoot a single partridge on any ground where 
you have recently turned out a batch of Hungarians. A kind host who had 
just turned out several brace of Hungarians planned a drive on the way to 
one of the coverts after lunch, with the disastrous result that three brace 
of his newly imported twelve-shillings-a-brace birds were added to the 
bag! 
Hungarian eggs do not pay to import. They are generally stale from 
having taken some time to collect; added to this the long journey by rail 
and sea does not improve their condition. If sixty per cent hatch it is rather 
above the average, and those that do hatch produce such weakly chicks 
that a very large number die in spite of endless trouble taken by the 
keepers who look after them; forty to forty -five per cent turned into the 
fields may be considered a good average, and these birds will probably 
not be constitutionally strong. 
With reference to Hungarian eggs Mr H. Noble writes: “I quite agree; 
T. T. once bought 500 Hungarian eggs, and reared one bird, it cost £25 ! 
I must say I have heard of some good results. When the eggs arrive they 
should be laid in trays flat, and each egg turned right over four times 
in forty -eight hours; in any case they should never be sat on until they 
have rested at least that time. The reason is, the yolk gets badly shaken, 
and by the vibration on the journey is apt to get out of place. If sat on in 
this condition the egg cannot hatch, but it may recover with rest. 
“ Normally, the yolk is held in its place by 
two sort of spiral springs of elastic substance; 
this stretches, and sometimes snaps, when the 
yolk falls to the side, and the egg is spoilt. Some- 
times the springy membranes only stretch, and 
regain their position by rest.” 
When importing Hungarian eggs it is advisable 
to test them before sitting. 1 have known a keeper who, when unpacking 
some eggs, inadvertently knocked one off the kitchen table on to the floor ; 
much to his astonishment the egg did not break, and on examination he 
found it was a hard boiled one of the previous year ! On examining the 
rest he found many similar specimens. In order to avoid such imposition, 
importers should be very careful with whom they deal. There are plenty 
of trustworthy men; but the local egg gatherer of Hungary has evidently 
learnt certain tricks of the trade which may cause disappointment if not 
detected. 
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