105 Pheasants. 



character as to fit it for its purpose. In the case of old 

 woods, the all-important matter of undergrowth will in all 

 probability be fully met, deciduous as well as evergreen 

 trees will equally provide portions, and we may expect to 

 see a sprinkling of hollies which, with spruce and other 

 fir, serve as protection to the birds from inclement weather, 

 as well as from vermin and poachers. 



Coppice of almost any character is well suited to 

 pheasants, especially where plenty of mature trees have 

 been left unfelled. Oak, hornbeam, chestnut all serve 

 very well as coppice ; so that where woods are regularly 

 felled the new growth appearing is in every way adequate 

 as coverts. 



Coming to fir-woods, it is necessary to remember that 

 larch, although much loved of pheasants, is by no means 

 always the desideratum in either old or new coverts which 

 is sometimes supposed. Birds affect larches very much for 

 roosting purposes, and except the trees be reasonably 

 sheltered by others, they offer the easiest task to the 

 poacher working at night. Besides this, they are the cause 

 of great restlessness amongst birds in rough weather. 

 Spruce and other fir when young require a good deal of 

 cutting out to fit them for use for roosting purposes by 

 pheasants. There is, of course, no better cover for these 

 game-birds, especially through the winter months and as 

 sanctuary coverts ; still, pheasants do not always take kindly 

 to them, as they are, unless properly cut out, awkward for 

 the birds to negotiate, and, as a rule, there is little attrac- 

 tive undergrowth amongst them. 



As regards undergrowth other than coppice, it is always 

 preferable where any berry- or fruit-bearing shrubs pre- 

 dominate. Thus hazel-bushes are very attractive in a 

 pheasant-covert, so are whitethorn, wild rose, besides 

 briars and wild raspberries. The rhododendron possesses 



