THE PHEASANT. 165 



one migiit expect. Then this 1,400 acres would 

 produce 700 birds a year. If the farmer is 

 protected a Httle at seed time, the breeding 

 stock to produce this number will do him no 

 harm. They would be his friends, for, as we 

 have before quoted, 444 grubs of the crane 

 fly were found in the crop of one pheasant; 

 and with those pests, rabbits, ferreted down 

 till they were only numerous enough to feed the 

 foxes, and hares only plentiful enough to show 

 sport with hounds and greyhounds, we should 

 hear no more of the damage done by game to 

 the crops. 



But then, these fourfooted creatures are kept 

 up to show sport by keepers who cannot show 

 birds in sufficient numbers to swell the total 

 to so many hundred head ; and who really cares 

 to pull trigger at a rabbit while the cock phea- 

 sants are sailing by fast and furiously in Decem- 

 ber ? And what sportsman, asked to a day's 

 rabbit shooting, which is excellent fun in its 

 way, has not been pleased to hear that some 



