2o8 SHOOTING THE PHEASANT 



such regions the keepers should prepare carefully 

 before striking their blow. The object of this class 

 of poachers is to outnumber the upholders of the law 

 by three or four to one, and the latter should take 

 care to be in sufficient force to thoroughly master 

 their assailants, take all their apparatus, and secure 

 convictions ; the keepers will then find themselves 

 comparatively unmolested for some time to come, 

 while the resistance, if there be any, will not be serious 

 enough to cause any tragedy. 



With regard to pheasants in particular, the irrup- 

 tion of large gangs is not so likely, since they can do 

 nothing except by beating the woods with guns and 

 dogs in daylight, or by shooting at night. The latter 

 may be best prevented by providing the proper shelter 

 for the birds in every covert ; a subject which will 

 bring me, in the next chapter, to the few words I have 

 to say on pheasant coverts in general. 



But before leaving the question of poachers, the 

 importance of keeping down the numbers of four- 

 footed and feathered enemies of the pheasant must 

 be urged. The fox undoubtedly is the most formid- 

 able of these, but in most parts of England he must 

 be held sacred. It may be laid down at once that 

 plenty of pheasants and plenty of foxes may be and 

 are found together ; and many of my readers must have 



