214 BIRD-LIFE OF THE BORDERS 



not legally be shot before the ist of September. To 

 kill the young on August 20th is like shooting chickens 

 on the lid of an incubator. On the other hand, I see no 

 reason why the shooting should close before the end of 

 the year. It is important to kill the old cocks of previous 

 years, and these by December are very hard to get at." 



The great estates, carefully shot, are the safeguard 

 and the salvation of blackgame. Were this country 

 all cut up into small properties, this fine species would 

 scarce survive a couple of generations. 



