CUB-HUNTING 271 



Truly has it been said in regard to sportsmen that 

 one touch of winter makes the whole world keen. 

 Unfortunately, this keenness is sometimes apt to 

 create friction, more especially during October, when 

 the interests of shootists and hunting men are bound 

 to clash in some degree. Hence it becomes the duty 

 of those who have the welfare of sport at heart to 

 do everything in their power to lessen the friction, 

 so that the wishes and convenience of the followers 

 of each branch of sport may be complied with. I 

 cannot ignore the fact that owing to a multitude 

 of causes, some of which I intend to refer to, this 

 friction has increased considerably during the last 

 decade. The system of driving game has taken the 

 place of the old fashion of shooting over dogs, so 

 that a big bag is essential to a good day's sport. 

 The result is that more pheasants must be reared, 

 and coverts are overstocked. Whether or not the 

 system is in accordance with the strict orthodoxy 

 of sport, it is not my province to discuss. But 

 covert owners must remember that overstocking 

 coverts means artificial rearing and increased ex- 

 penditure. Therefore it is their own fault if 

 pheasant shooting is accurately described by the 

 trite phrase, " In goes a penny, up goes a guinea, 

 and down comes a couple of shillings." The expense 

 of artificial pheasant rearing, however, has made 

 game preservers more diligent in upholding their 

 legal rights in regard to fox-hunting. We cannot 

 disguise the fact that shootin? has become a com- 



