NATURAL HISTORY OF THE RABBIT 31 



under the drip of trees ; for this is a matter of some 

 importance in coverts composed of forest trees of 

 large growth with very Mttle underwood. Here it is 

 not a question of food, but shelter, and nothing is 

 niore annoying to shooters when walking through such 

 woods ' in line ' than to see all the ground game going 

 forward, just out of shot, for the reason that there is 

 nothing to hide them. The owner of the covert 

 will perhaps say he can get nothing to grow under 

 the spread and drip of the trees. This need not 

 necessarily be so. Several shrubs might be named 

 which will thrive under such conditions; but the 

 planter would be well advised if, instead of scattering 

 the different kinds singly all over the ground at wide 

 distances apart, he were to plant them in clumps — 

 say, each plant three to four feet apart — and a mixture 

 of a few kinds in masses, taking care to keep the low- 

 growing and less straggling sorts next to the wood- 

 rides. Amongst those adapted to such treatment may be 

 mentioned : Common and Portugal laurels; Rhododen- 

 dron ponticum ; Azalea pontica ; Taxus baccata ; Ruscus 

 aculeatus and R. hypoglossum ; Cotoneaster buxifolia, 

 C. microphylla and C. Hookerii ; Pernettya mucronata 

 (for peat soils); Phillyrea, of sorts ; Rhamnus alaternus ; 

 Broom ; Leycesteria formosa , Box, oi sorts ; Juniperus 

 communis and_/. Sabina; Potentilla fruticosa; Buddleia 



