124 SPORT IN EUROPE 



Everywhere, indeed, from north to south, there is an organised 



slaughter of game throughout the year. In Central France the 



prefects authorise the use of nets, even at night, to catch larks, 



shutting their eyes to any partridges that may at the same time be 



netted. In Brittany, that beautiful country that once had its grouse, 



black game, and quantities of grey and red-legged partridges, together 



with all manner of wild fowl, the partridges have become rare, while 



the grouse and black game are gone altogether. Only the woodcock 



visits it in autumn, and the woods and the banks of inland waters are 



then simply covered with snares to catch both woodcock and snipe. 



Only in the neighbourhood of Paris, in Central France, Normandy, 



and one or two departments in the north, is the country still stocked 



with game ; the best sporting estates have of course been bought 



up by the wealthy, and game farms, which have turned out great 



quantities of game in these parts, have added their results to those 



of private breeding. The battue is most in vogue, and is in fact 



the only general mode of shooting, while retrievers are the only 



dogs used. 



I should be puzzled indeed to point out to the foreigner who might 



endeavour to reside close to free shooting any district in which he 



would be likely to find game, and even to get two or 



T^ . three shots in the course of a day. Only in Brittany, 



Foreigners. ^ ^ ^ 



the marshes aloncj the coast, in Finisterre-, and Morbihan, 

 are well stocked with snipe, and in some years the passage of wood- 

 cock is heavy. It is easy enough to find large estates, with a country 

 house, for hire. I have had the good luck to shoot my hundred 

 woodcock in a fortnight near Quimperle, in Finisterre, and he who 



