I86i] A Plea for the Partridge. 145 



3. Who cares to knock down with a gun such chicks as I have often 

 seen brought home by shooters only eager to reckon up the total 

 number of brace ? Here the birds will be the gamers. 



4. How much game reaches London in good order after travelling 

 through the hot days of August ? Are not our friends disgusted rather 

 than pleased with such hampers ? Thus friends at home will be the 

 gainers by the alteration. 



And so with partridges. 



1. Will not " Mr. Briggs " run less risk of apoplexy if he puts off 

 his matutinal rambles through the stubble beneath a broiling sun until 

 the bracing breeze of October comes ? 



2. Will not the poor little "fledgelings" thank Parliament for 

 giving them time to grow their quills, and so have a fair chance ? I 

 have seen birds far too young shot, even after the 2oth of September, in 

 Ireland. 



3. Will not our volunteers be the better for a real match against 

 difficulties when they follow the strong coveys in October and 

 November, rather than take them at a disadvantage ? Fairness is 

 the boast of an Englishman. 



4. Will not the " ill-used " farmers grumble out their gratitude for 

 corn untrodden and clover duly mowed before the sportsmen can 

 come ? 



And we should not forget that, if Mr. Gladstone's ^i a month 

 licence be carried, there must be expected a certain increase in the 

 number of sportsmen none, proportionally, among the birds; so that 

 the latter should be the more carefully guarded. 



Should these lines meet the eye of some grouse-shooting legislator, 

 may we hope that he will, at all events, think over the matter, if not 

 inclined to bring it under the notice of Parliament. 



A SHOOTING F.L.S. 



His review of the first volume of the "Ibis" was warmly 

 commended by Mr. Newton, to whom he replied (May^th, 

 1860): 



MY DEAR NEWTON, The receipt of your letter gave me great 



pleasure It is a great satisfaction to know that you approve of 



what I have done for "the Bird" ; I am but quite a beginner at 

 writing, so anything you like must be simply owing to the friendly in- 

 terpretation you have set upon my effort, and much more to the intrinsic 

 merit of the Journal, which no one can peruse without seeing how well 

 it is going on. All the credit due to me is simply that I gave the 

 numbers an attentive perusal, and had the advantage of a referee at 



Elveden who kindly helped me to many points of information 



I am writing with a sad headache, so you must kindly excuse any little 

 repetition and blunders in this letter ; I feel I ought not to lose any 



L 



