162 PHEASANTS 



To make a good shoot, on the other 

 hand, we must have small, thick clumps 

 or belts ; small, so that the bulk of the 

 pheasants may be collected and cornered 

 at the flushing spot with reasonable 

 economy of beaters and birds ; thick, to 

 hold the birds and admit of their being 

 flushed by twos and threes. 



This holding cover can often only be 

 provided by laurels or rhododendrons, and 

 there seems to be a widespread notion that 

 pheasants are particularly fond of these 

 evergreens, due probably to the common 

 sight of a mass of birds rising from their 

 midst on shooting days. In point of fact, 

 the pheasant as a rule rather dislikes 

 these wet and dripping bushes in winter, 

 only taking to them in times of alarm or 

 as a refuge from snow. 



The coverts from which the birds are 

 to be shot must if the quality of the 

 shooting be any consideration be planted 

 with the sole object of making a good 

 rise ; they will thus commonly be placed 

 on the higher ground, where neither aspect 



