210 PARTRIDGES 



to abuse their powers over the creatures 

 of the wild. Like most other virtues 

 and vices, such consideration is largely a 

 question of habit and early training, and 

 soon becomes a second nature to any one 

 who is brought up in the right way. But 

 we are apt to gloss over our responsi- 

 bilities light-heartedly, and many a boy is 

 now watching his father cheerfully firing 

 at birds quite beyond the killing range 

 and will as thoughtlessly do the same 

 when his turn comes. 



Partridge-shooting is, of all forms of 

 sport with the gun, essentially the one 

 best suited for the man of moderate 

 means. Pheasants are costly creatures to 

 entertain ; the fancy rents cheerfully asked 

 and given for moors place so fashionable 

 a sport as grouse-shooting quite beyond 

 the reach of all but the wealthy ; changed 

 times have driven the wild fowl, once so 

 plentiful on our coasts, to harbour in re- 

 mote fastnesses, where few have leisure 

 to follow them; only the little brown 

 bird remains to gladden the hearts of the 



