CHAPTER III. 



MANAGEMENT OF PHEASANTS IN PRESERVES, 



FORMATION OF COVERTS. 



EFORE any satisfactory progress can be made in 

 the preservation of pheasants, the existence of 

 good and well-protected coverts is indispensable ; 

 and where these do not naturally exist, the very first 

 action of the game preserver must be to effect their 

 plantation on a scale commensurate with his desires. 

 This necessarily cannot be done without expense, but a large 

 stock of pheasants cannot be secured, save under the most 

 exceptional circumstances, without a very considerable outlay. 

 Some years since the subject of the formation of coverts 

 for pheasants was discussed in a very exhaustive manner in 

 the columns of The Field, and some admirable practical letters, 

 detailing the experiences of the writers, appeared in that 

 paper; these are worthy of the most attentive consideration, 

 and I have great pleasure in availing myself of the opportunity 

 of quoting from them. One of the most practical of the 

 writers, the late Mr. R. Carr Ellison, of Dunston Hill, Durham, 

 strongly advocated the formation of pheasant roosts of spruce 

 and silver firs, as affording the birds absolute security against 

 the attacks of night poachers. He writes : " A number of 

 country gentlemen who do not consider field sports of primary 

 importance, feel it right to abstain from the preserving of 

 pheasants. They see that the temptation which these birds 



