Practical Game-Preserving. 240 



Landrail. 



This is another migratory bird, with a seeming dis- 

 position to remain and winter here if possible. It 

 arrives about the first week in May, but sometimes 

 earlier, the Southern counties coming in later, curiously 

 enough, than the Northern ones, for their share. As a 

 game-bird it is of poor value, being very averse to flight, 

 always seeking protection, if possible, by dodging about 

 amongst the corn and long meadow grass it loves chiefly to 

 haunt. It is a shy, fearsome bird, and practically will not 

 become domesticated. As far as preserving goes, it lies 

 outside the pale, but affords some little sport now and then 

 when one is beating for partridges, and is a fairish bird 

 in respect of gastronomic qualities. It is not to be 

 encouraged on partridge-land, being, by reason of its 

 habits, very injurious to the working of setters and 

 pointers, where birds are killed over dogs. 



Bustard. 



Of late years this bird has been the subject of some 

 well-deserved and well-intentioned efforts to rehabilitate 

 it in those districts where it would appear a fair chance 

 offers for some success in this direction. As far as any- 

 thing of the kind can prove successful, these efforts have 

 been so, and the birds have remained and nested. The 

 circumstances, however, which are absolutely necessary for 

 a fair measure of success appear wanting, and I very much 

 doubt if anything tangible can result, although a certain 

 favourable outcome may attend persistent and well-pro- 

 tected efforts on those lands which can offer the absolute 

 freedom from disturbance the bustard demands. 



Snipe and Woodcock. 



Although regarded by the law as game, and con- 

 sidered and treated as such by the greater number of 



