r,ii PHKASANTS F(iR COVERTS AXD AVI All! ES. 



coverts for these timid l)irds, wliicli at roostijigf time usually 

 conrt the densest sylvan .sliade — tlicse evei'L;Teen groves 

 jiossess tlie signal advantage ni" liariii()nising well with, and 

 adding singular beauty tij, the surrounding seenei-y ; whilst 

 the internal gloom — liiciix o noil luciiuhi — pervading them 

 has also its own peculiar charms, though it be of a sombre 

 charactei'." 



It mav lie remarked that evergreim night coverts are not 

 so essential south of the Trent, owing to the vig(.>rous gnjwtli 

 of underwood in the sonthei'u counties, wliicli renders it 

 almost impossible for [loachers to ti-averse the co\-erts Ijy 

 night, even during bright moonlight ; so that pheasants 

 roosting on deciduous trees are much safer thaji thev wcmld 

 be in the north, where underwood i.s comparative!}' feeble and 

 scanty. 



Writing to me on this subject, Mr. Carr I'jllison added ■ 

 " In ihe extreme iioidh of Mngland, and in Scntland, under- 

 wood of bramble grows feel)ly, except along warm sniitherlv 

 slo]ies. Xevertheless Natui-e introduces another covert phmt 

 of great value, which fears neither cold shade, noi' ojieii and 

 windy exposure — namely, the native tussuck grass of moor- 

 edges aud upland pastures, .-1 /(v/. c-fwyi/Zoxr;, popnlarlv called 

 'hull -fronts,' of which most of our exposed woodlands are 

 full. It is easily ri-ansplanted or |irupagated by seeil, on 

 which latter both pheasants and black game feed. It is a 

 favourite covert for hares, affording perfect jirotection from 

 the cold winds that s\vee[i through plantations destitute of 

 underwood, like too many in the north. 



"let these apparently uii])romisiiig strijis or cliimtis of 

 bare stems are often frequented by fine liroods of self-reaied 

 pheasants, tiianks to the bull-fronts and bracken." 



If it bo desired to sec^ tlie pheasants in the neiLrhbourhood 

 of the mansion, it should be borne in mind that the sliruli- 

 beries of rhododendron so frequently seen skirting lawns and 

 pleasure grounds are not fi'cquented by pheasants like those 

 of yew, holly, and privet, chiefly because no fallen berries are 



