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 - - - - - - 52—75 
CHAPTER VI 
VERMIN AND TRAPPING 
Ihe 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—12I 
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 - - - - - -  :122—132 
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 - - - - 133-146 
CHAPTER X 
WOOD-PIGEONS AND WILD-FOWL 
The difficulty, uncertainty, and charm of pigeon-shooting— 
Novel pigeon-shooting—Value of first innings—Best time 
