84 PARTRIDGES 



fenced on either side and planted with 

 broom, provide the best of ground for 

 birds to nest in. There are no ditches to 

 trap young birds. The whole ground is 

 further divided into squares of from 200 

 to 250 acres by belts of hardwood trees, 

 standing ten to twenty deep and some 50 

 feet in height. These again provide sites 

 for hundreds of nests, and are invaluable 

 for the purposes of driving in the autumn 

 and for shelter at all times. 



On this Utopian manor of ours the 

 ground is watched and the game cared for 

 by a most efficient staff. First there is 

 the head-keeper, on whose qualities the 

 welfare of the shooting so largely depends. 

 He is one of the modern school, vigorous, 

 alert, and enterprising ; perhaps not such 

 an entertaining companion by flood and 

 field as the veterans of other days ; he may 

 fail to amuse by quaint turn of phrase or 

 picturesque appearance, nor will he have 

 the time to turn and saunter along with 

 you for half an hour's leisurely conversa- 

 tion when you chance to meet. 



