104 PHEASANTS 



can scarcely fail to carry away with him, 

 after a sojourn in the land where fox and 

 pheasant strive for the mastery. After 

 he has listened to much talk in stable or 

 kennel, by covert side or with his knees 

 under the mahogany of his host's dining- 

 room table, and 'heard great argument 

 about it and about,' he will surely — if 

 he believe but one half of what he has 

 been told — be forced to the conclusion 

 that the members of either the hunting 

 or shooting community of Midlandshire 

 (whichever his lot has not been cast 

 among), although in all the ordinary 

 walks of life they may be known as 

 men of at least average intelligence and 

 ability, yet on this one particular point 

 are quite devoid of understanding, proud, 

 prejudiced, and generally unreasonable. 



There are of course exceptions — 

 favoured districts where hunting and 

 shooting neighbours dwell together in 

 perfect amity ; but these are passing 

 rare, and in truth there is such a good 

 case to be made out for either side, that 



