SEPTEMBER 191 



wilder hilly districts towards the Welsh border, or 

 parts of the Midlands or North Country too industrial 

 to allow of successful game-preserving, these pre- 

 dominate, and their overflow population restocks the 

 low country with hawks and ground- vermin . Amongst 

 the Welsh uplands the carrion-crow almost replaces 

 the rook, and may be seen in bands thirty strong. 

 It is a curious fact that round London and each of our 

 large cities there is a zone in which pheasant -rearing 

 is impossible, and where, in consequence, such birds 

 as the crow, magpie, jay and brown -owl are par- 

 ticularly numerous. Only careful observers, who are 

 early abroad, know what a large variety of birds find 

 shelter in the London parks. 



From what has been said it might be inferred that 

 game-preserving fosters the favoured few at the ex- 

 pense of dealing death and destruction all around. 

 This is far from being the case ; with more justice it 

 may be likened to the arm of the law which 

 descends with crushing force on the evil-doer while 

 promoting the happiness and security of the general 

 public. Myriads of small birds, such as the various 

 warblers, breed in safety in the game-covers, protected 

 from intruders and from the attacks of their natural 

 enemies. The mistle-thrush affords a case in point ; 

 it has greatly increased in numbers owing to its habit 

 of nesting in the plantations. Comparison with the 

 state of things which prevails upon the Continent brings 



