Practical Game-Preserving. 76 



coverts as possible. To this end it may be necessary, as 

 it certainly is advisable, to divide the feeding among one 

 or more hands, according to the form and extent of each 

 piece of woodland. Accordingly, when feeding takes place 

 the keepers should enter simultaneously at the different 

 points, and using their calls, scatter the food upon 

 both sides of the rides or along the trigs. To be able to 

 judge correctly the amount of food required, it should be 

 the practice to scatter it sparsely at the first passage 

 through the cover, then, giving birds time to feed, pass 

 back, and according to whether they have dispersed or not, 

 so offer additional food or withhold it. Upon succeeding 

 days more should be offered until the correct quantity 

 required has been ascertained. By the presence of uneaten 

 food the fact that more than sufficient has been given is 

 made apparent ; but consideration must be had for the 

 fact that not all the birds will have come to feed, and as 

 the season advances it will be found necessary up to such 

 time as shooting occurs to increase the quantity offered 

 them. 



Provision will also have to be made for shy feeders, of 

 which there are sure to be a fair percentage amongst the 

 stock. While shooting has not commenced, or is still 

 proceeding, it is not advisable to provide anything in the 

 form of permanent food-supply within the coverts, such 

 as food-shelters, or by placing corn in the straw, unless 

 the weather should set in very hard, in which case 

 advantage may be taken to stock the former and provide 

 the latter. It is always an advantage to the shooting to 

 defer anything of this kind till as late as possible, as it 

 concentrates birds at certain points within the woods with- 

 out reference to shooting needs. 



The times for feeding should attune themselves all 

 through the season to those which granted that natural 



