60 PHEASANTS 



of natural conditions than a few chill, wet 

 days at the critical period of growth, and 

 all chances of autumn sport on stubbles 

 and turnips are at an end. 



If the capricious clerk of our island 

 weather allows us a warm fortnight either 

 side of midsummer's day — the hazardous 

 time in the life of the young partridge 

 varies in different parts of the country — a 

 good season is almost assured ; if he 

 grudge us this, as has been his common 

 practice of late years, there may still be a 

 moderate season if all goes well with the 

 second broods, but a few evil days in late 

 summer serve to bring their prospects to 

 nought. So a summer of warmth and 

 sun, with two unhappily timed breaks in 

 the weather may easily result in no young 

 partridges in autumn, though the pheasants 

 would probably keep within measure of 

 their average numbers in any but alto- 

 gether exceptional years. 



We need follow the young pheasant 

 no further, since every reader of these 

 pages must be familiar with his growth 



