196 PARTRIDGES 



many young birds and old partridges 

 sitting on their nests are numbered 

 among the victims of the hedgepig, who 

 would doubtless like us to believe that 

 he spent all his nights in "routing up 

 the cow-dungs for the blackbobs." 



The case of the cat including the 

 domestic cat gone wild and the puss 

 of the farm and cottage, law-abiding by 

 day but more than possibly lawless by 

 night is simple. In its proper sphere, 

 a useful member of the community, 

 destroyer of small undesirables, rats, 

 voles, mice, and sparrows ; out of its 

 proper sphere, an arrant and inveterate 

 poacher, and to be dealt with as such 

 whenever apprehended. 



Of the crow tribe, the carrion crow 

 may well claim the doubtful honour 

 of precedence in our list. Cunning and 

 wary in all his doings, he ranks second 

 to none as an egg-thief, and his depre- 

 dations extend to nearly full - grown 

 young partridges. The jackdaw, whose 

 presence is too often tolerated, is equally 



