244 THE GUN: AFIELD AND AFLOAT 



throughout their breeding season by International agree- 

 ment There are difficulties in the way, but perhaps 

 these would not prove insurmountable. For instance, 

 there is a difficulty with respect to the woodcock ; this 

 bird's visit to this country being timed most opportunely, 

 from the sportsman's point of view, in the season proper 

 for its shooting. Nevertheless, this circumstance would 

 entail a hardship upon Scandinavian sportsmen if the 

 spring shooting of woodcock were to be vetoed, as in 

 autumn, with the leaves still on the trees at the time 

 of their departure, the shooting of these birds cannot be 

 so well accomplished in that part of the world. 



Still we ourselves are in a similarly unfortunate posi- 

 tion with regard to quail and their Mediterranean cap- 

 turers, for these birds rear their young in this country, 

 and after affording but a brief period of sport to the 

 September partridge-shooter they depart southward. 

 The diminution in the number of quail visiting this 

 country may be attributed to the vast slaughter of these 

 birds effected during their passage across Northern Africa 

 and Southern Europe. This remark probably applies 

 also to the landrail, another toothsome morsel. 



The very great destruction taking place in extreme 

 northern regions with respect to wild-fowl eggs and 

 young and moulting birds being taken in large numbers 

 might be difficult to regulate. Still, possibly, means 

 might be found for supplying the northern tribes taking 

 such heavy toll of Arctic-breeding fowl with other food in 

 place of the birds and eggs which doubtless at present 

 are in great measure necessary to their subsistence. 



Perhaps the simplest solution of these and other 

 difficulties to be encountered would be the institution of 

 a policy of give and take, thereby according absolute 



