NATURAL HISTORY 41 



ing time are to be deplored, for while in 

 wet and cold seasons, soaking grass, 

 chilled and sodden lands, with undue 

 prevalence of what golfers term * casual 

 water/ will claim their victims by the 

 thousand, a time of protracted drought 

 will equally spell disaster, though after 

 a different fashion. 



Heavy lands then open in cracks and 

 fissures, pitfalls for the unwary innocents ; 

 cover from foes is scanty, and the chances 

 of an epidemic of gapes, when the first 

 rain comes, are much increased. These, 

 however, are but minor evils ; the main 

 trouble then is a universal dearth of insect 

 life, and, deprived of their natural susten- 

 ance, young partridges will continue to 

 waste and die till well on in August. 



Warm weather with light showers is 

 what we all long to see at hatching time ; 

 the warmth to ensure a favourable hatch, 

 and the showers to ensure a sufficient 

 swarm of the smaller forms of life. 



AY hen all goes well, ants and ants' eggs, 

 aphides, and all the unconsidered trifles 



