viii CONTENTS 



CHAPTER V 



PARTRIDGE-SHOOTING 



PAGES 



Anticipation Modern methods Weather and wildness The 

 more birds the wilder they are Towering birds The legs- 

 down fallacy The cloud of feathers Some stories 

 Driving Skill and circumstances Observations on 

 driving - - - 5 2 ~75 



CHAPTER VI 



VERMIN AND TRAPPING 



The worst pests Poisoning rats Rooks as robbers Ten 

 stoats and a silvery-white pheasant Litters of stoats 

 Stoats and weasels and rats Hawks Hedgehogs Jays 

 as sentinels Owls Discrimination Vermin without 

 end - ... 76 106 



CHAPTER VII 



PHEASANTS : IN PEACE 



Why keepers prefer pheasants to partridges Advantages of 

 pheasants over partridges Comparisons of nesting habits 

 Hand-rearing Ups and downs The keeper as doctor 

 Short-tailed pheasants not appreciated Peeling eggs An 

 explanation - - 107 121 



CHAPTER VIII 

 PHEASANTS: IN WAR 



To the keeper a pheasant is a pheasant Wild v. hand-reared 

 for shooting Craftiness of wild birds Little and big 

 coverts A keeper's dodge My first pheasant shoot Bad 

 guns make bad birds A beater's comment Woods alter 

 Fog - - 122132 



CHAPTER IX 



HARES AND RABBITS 



Hares more satisfactory than rabbits Keep your hares quiet 

 Hares and hounds Hare disease Damage by hares 

 Rabbits, rats, and roots How rabbits use their teeth- 

 Hares and holes Shooting hares Rabbit-shooters Warm 

 work ----- - 133146 



CHAPTER X 



WOOD-PIGEONS AND WILD-FOWL 



The difficulty, uncertainty, and charm of pigeon-shooting 

 Novel pigeon-shooting Value of first innings Best time 



