The population of partridges (Perdix perdix) in Great Britain during 1935.

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to continue the records given for 1933 and 1934 in a previous paper (1) and show the trend of the partridge population during the last 3 years. This work forms part of a scheme of research on game populations carried out by the Bureau of Animal Population with the aid of a grant from Imperial Chemical Industries.

Most of the statistics used in this paper are derived from counts and records made by keepers and owners of estates under a system developed for this research, the technique of which has already been described (2). I wish to thank all those who are collaborating in this work.

The partridge population of most areas in Britain, particularly in the south and east, showed a marked increase during 1933 and 1934 after a period of low numbers and disease in 1931 and 1932. Two favourable summers for the survival of young birds had rapidly built up the stock, so that, in spite of the fairly large numbers shot in 1934, there was in most areas a higher density of nesting birds at the beginning of 1935 than for several years past.