14 



CHAPTER II. 



BIRDS OF PREY. 



THE woody district described in the preceding 

 chapter possesses two great attractions for rapa- 

 cious birds viz., shelter and food, combined with a 

 large amount of seclusion. Minor matters may more or 

 less influence the occurrence of a particular family or 

 species in a locality, but it is the all-important question 

 of food which determines their greater or less frequency; 

 the abundance of game and waterfowl which- are strictly 

 preserved on the numerous domains around us, offers to 

 birds of prey an additional attraction to their ordinary 

 supplies, and, as might be expected, a large amount of 

 black mail is levied by these winged reivers for their 

 own especial use. 



In one respect, indeed, abundance of game might be 

 considered unfavourable to the increase of birds of prey, 

 for in Great Britain game is invariably accompanied by 

 gamekeepers, and they hold the whole tribe in detesta- 

 tion, and lose no opportunity of showing their hostility 

 to such "varmint." This is sadly testified by the 

 numerous victims whose bleaching skeletons adorn the 

 doors and walls of the feeding hovels, and other similar 

 places. Yet, in spite of the war which is so unrelent- 

 ingly waged against them, the causes I have previously 



