BRITISH GAME-BIRDS. 205 



with white and grey bleached stones cropping out 

 of it : you will not see him before he dashes up 

 in front of you, but this has often taken place 

 when my eyes and ears have been opened to their 

 widest. 



These few notes taken from the life, made as 

 I have wandered sketch - book and note - book in 

 hand, with the birds before me, in the summer 

 and also in the bitter winter weather, have nothing 

 to do with keepers or poachers. The so-called 

 exposure of poaching manoeuvres is utter nonsense. 

 Rest assured that when keepers grind their teeth 

 in impotent rage at certain jobs, they do not know 

 much about how the thing is done, or they would 

 certainly put a stop to it to save their places ; 

 and poachers who are up to their business hold 

 their tongues about it. When I read of whole 

 coveys being netted, field after field, I feel simply 

 disgusted at the statements, for if ever a bird 

 slept with one eye open it is the partridge. As 

 to the green plover that frequents the same open 

 fields, he walks in his sleep, and moans out his 

 Pewit-weet-weet-weet ! 



One thing I am positive of, twenty pheasants 



