GAME BIRDS AND WILD FOWL. 



British islands. However, in those districts where 

 his favourite prey, the rabbit, has been greatly 

 reduced or exterminated, security to the pheasant 

 and partridge, and immunity to the fox, are quite 

 incompatible. In such cases the keen foxhunter 

 and the zealous game preserver can seldom be 

 called ' birds of a feather/ and unless they recur to 

 the alternative of keeping up a moderate supply of 

 rabbits which the fox will always take in prefer- 

 ence to any other food perhaps the best thing 

 they can do is to pitch their tents respectively in 

 such districts as, from natural or local circum- 

 stances, may afford to each the unrestrained 

 indulgence of his favourite sport. 



The real wild cat (felis catus) is probably no 

 longer a denizen of the southern or central parts 

 of England, is very rare in the northern counties, 

 and of less frequent occurrence in Wales and even 

 in Scotland than formerly. In short, notwith- 

 standing the inaccessible nature of his retreats 

 among the rocky glens in the Highlands, he is in 

 a fair way of following in the footsteps of the 

 bear and the wolf, and the facilities afforded for 

 his destruction by the modern fowling-piece will 

 doubtless accelerate his fate one that will meet 

 with little commiseration except from the 

 naturalist. 



Not only have game birds, poultry, and young 



