82 PARTRIDGES 



advantage of all. This is an important 

 consideration, for if, as is only too 

 commonly the case, the neighbouring 

 ground suffers unduly from powder and 

 shot, there will be a steady drain on your 

 young birds to replenish a depleted stock, 

 while unpreserved ground harbours an un- 

 limited supply of vermin, which periodic- 

 ally swarm over the boundary, joyfully 

 to take possession of your swept and 

 garnished house, giving the keepers all 

 their work to do over again. The climate 

 is as equable and dry as may be looked 

 for in these islands, such rainfall as there 

 is being well distributed, and storms of 

 rare occurrence. 



The soil is light but mixed, light loam 

 and sandy ground predominating, with 

 some admixture of stronger and heavier 

 land. Scattered over the estate, small 

 patches of waste and sandy land, not 

 repaying the labour of cultivation, and 

 covered with bracken, whins, and heath, 

 make splendid natural nesting-ground and 

 shelter. With this exception, and omit- 



