LANDSCAPE AND LADDER 217 



a most important point — and shelter and warmth 

 in the undergrowth which this sunlight will foster. 

 Open spaces within the inclosure of woods are spe- 

 cially attractive to game, to which air and light are 

 as essential as to plants ; they afford them pleasant 

 spots on the cold and windy days, where they can 

 find shelter from the blast while catching every warm 

 ray from the sun. 



As to your shooting, every incident in a wood 

 usually yields its incident to the sport, and the most 

 varied ground is consequently the most attractive to 

 shoot over ; while, from a practical point of view, you 

 will find yourself able to hold pheasants in consider- 

 able numbers in coverts where it was previously found 

 impossible to do any good. Where such coverts lie 

 on a hillside, the cutting out and consequent thicken- 

 ing of the undergrowth should be done as much as 

 possible on the higher side, since the pheasants, rising 

 for the most part out of the undergrowth, will then 

 pass over the guns in position on lower ground at the 

 desirable height. 



The covert may, and should where practicable, 

 be further strengthened as a holding or lying place 

 for pheasants by the addition of a strip or inclosure 

 of broom or gorse on the upper side. This should 

 have either a broad grass ride or irregular open spaces 



