66 PHEASANTS 



centage of the whole. Pheasants will 

 often kill numbers of frogs and voles, 

 probably as much for the fun of it as 

 with any idea of eating them. 



One would naturally like to acquit the 

 hero of this monograph of any disposition 

 to injure the other interests of the country- 

 side, but still it is to be feared that the 

 old rhyme — 



Sow four grains in a row, 



One for the pigeon, one for the crow. 



One to rot and one to grow. 



must have been written before pheasant- 

 rearing on a large scale came into fashion. 

 There is certainly a pretty notion that 

 the pheasant amply compensates the 

 farmer for any harm he may do the 

 crops at certain seasons, by devouring 

 a multitude of those insects and grubs 

 most injurious to agriculture, and check- 

 ing the spread of noxious weeds. Such a 

 comfortable doctrine will naturally find 

 ready acceptance among those interested 

 in covert shooting, when they may read 

 it endorsed at the hands of our standard 



