20 AUGUST 1927, Page 12

I am disposed to prophesy a good partridge year in

many districts. Evil though the weather has been, the rain has not been of long enough duration to drown nests, and what kills young birds is rain plus cold. More than this, insect food has been singularly plentiful, and well-fed youngsters seldom come to much harm. A few, at any rate, of the later coveys .are large and look most flourishing, but will not be full grown for another two months or so.