General Remarks. 109 



a victim to lassitude as a human subject, and it is 

 one of the laws of nature that the unfit should 

 succumb and give place to the fit. Foxes are 

 acting as the agents of nature when destroying 

 game of weak stamina. 



It is a frequent remark of experienced sportsmen 

 that game of all descriptions found in a hunting 

 country affords the best of sport. This is because 

 the ever-present danger of foxes has caused it to 

 be wild and constantly on the alert, and also 

 because each weakly bird is certain to be destroyed 

 and only the healthiest are left to breed. 



It is not quite clear why sportsmen should be 

 so anxious to secure the old birds from a covey 

 of partridges as early in the shooting season as 

 possible, although this is widely done under a 

 rightful impression that they are best out of the 

 way before another breeding season comes round. 

 Young birds are the more prolific Avithout a doubt, 

 and nothing is to be said against killing the 

 parent birds of a covey directly the season opens 

 in a non-hunting locality ; but it is not a wise 

 action where foxes have to be reckoned with, 

 because when the old birds have disappeared the 

 covey is deprived of its natural protectors. 

 Young partridges are innocent of many risks 

 from which the parent birds are able to defend 



