42 TEN YEARS OF GAME-KEEPING 



come they will not show themselves in ungrateful 

 numbers. 



In localities where there are numerous woods 

 this luxurious feeding of the pheasants, while the 

 partridges are given full option to starve in the 

 fields, has a very annoying result, especially when a 

 covert belongs to one shoot and the fields adjoining 

 it to another. The partridges and I don't blame 

 them find out the artificial banqueting-halls in the 

 pheasant covert, and regularly visit them each morn- 

 ing ; and, finding things generally more pleasant 

 and comfortable than in the open fields, stay in 

 the covert all day till it is time to betake themselves 

 to the fields to roost. Now, there is nothing much 

 more satisfactory, sandwiched between pheasants 

 of satiating sameness, than a right and left from a 

 covey of partridges among the trees of a wood. 

 But, after all, the fields are where you want to find 

 your partridges. To have two or three blank drives 

 off fields near woods when plenty of birds are known 

 to be about is very annoying. 



Depend upon it, there is no better way to insure 

 finding your partridges where and when you wish 

 than by feeding them very slightly, but regularly. 

 A handful of ' tailing ' grain, preferably wheat, with 

 a few seeds, such as dari, trickled along a furrow 

 up the middle of each principal drive, will insure 

 freedom from the disappointment of not being able 

 to find your birds on driving days. Often have I 



