228 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 
scarcely perceptible, nor are they inclined to run amongst 
it from any other motives than as a place of protection 
and security: — where the crop, however, happens to be 
thin, thus enabling them to run with the greatest facility, 
affording them greater safety, by enabling them, in some 
degree, to watch the motions of their enemy, they are 
scarcely ever from amongst it; here, in fact, they maybe 
said to revel in luxury and security, and in such cases 
alone it is, that standing crops of grain sustain any serious 
injury from either pheasants or partridges. After the 
grain is cut, these birds feed regularly in the stubbles, 
and here they continue to feed while any food is to be 
met with. When the wheat is sown, (as by this time the 
stubbles are well cleared of the shed corn,) they will feed 
upon it, and the pheasants, (the cock in particular,) will 
not be content with the grains which may be found lying 
on the surface of the ground, but will scratch to find those 
which are covered with mould. The partridge does not 
appear to scratch the earth, though it will pick up the 
wheat on the surface. These are the most serious depre- 
dations which these birds commit on the labours of the 
husbandman; pheasants would seriously injure a newly 
sown field if suffered to pursue their inclinations unmo- 
lested; but nothing is more easy than to prevent the mis- 
chief which might thus ensue — a boy placed in the field 
with a rattle would be quite sufficient for the purpose. 
When the fields are covered with snow, or in hard wea- 
ther, the pheasant will feed upon acorns, and almost any 
kind of berries which the hedges produce; while the par- 
tridge seeks the leaves of turnips, and will feed upon what- 
ever it meets with of a vegetable complexion. On an im- 
partial review of the case, therefore, it is abundantly evi- 
dent, that the only injury done to the grain by these 
birds is at the period of sowing, particularly the wheat 
sowing; for as the other kinds of grain are not sown until 
spring, when food for these creatures is every where to 
be found in abundance, so at this time they are less to be 
dreaded. 
Thus having stated the baneful qualities or mischievous 
propensities of the pheasant and the partridge, I cannot 
in justice pass over their useful habits in silence. I know 
it is the practice of some ill-tempered surly farmers, to 
complain loudly of the depredations of the birds I have 
just mentioned; and while they are venting their spleen 
in grumbling and complaint, they seem never to think of 
the great benefit they derive from the very creatures 
which they denounce as mischievous beyond all compari- 
son. Now, if we take a fair and candid review of the 
other side of the question, it will be found that the benefit 
which is derived from the pheasant and partridge far out- 
weighs any injury which can be sustained from even their 
worst of depredations. The young of either of these birds 
is no sooner excluded from the shell than they are led by 
the parent bird to the nearest ant hill, the roots of trees, 
or other places where insects are to be met with. In- 
sects are sought with unwearied industry, as they consti- 
tute the entire food of the young for some time, and when 
they afterwards crop the grasses or herbage and begin to 
eat grain, they seek grubs, caterpillars, flies, and insects 
of all kinds as the most dainty fare, and which indeed 
seem indispensable to their existence; thus it frequently 
happens, that an ignorant farmer, when he sees these 
birds amongst his corn, flies into a passion, and swears 
he shall be ruined by them, at the very moment, when, 
by clearing his crop from the insects which would other- 
wise destroy it, they are rendering him the most essential 
service imaginable! It is a well known fact, at least to per- 
sons who have paid attention to the subject, that in all 
those districts where game is to be found in abundance, 
little or no injury is ever sustained by insects. 
In this review of the evils and benefits arising from 
game, I leave red and black grouse out of the question; 
for, although they will both feed upon grain, it is only 
when the snow has driven the former from the mountains, 
that they have been seen to approach the inclosures, and 
in fact the same remark will, in a great degree, apply to 
the latter. But, if we examine the habits and propensi- 
ties of the hare and the rabbit, perhaps the complaints of 
the agriculturist will be found entitled to more considera- 
tion, as far at least as regards the latter of these animals. 
The hare feeds upon clover, and upon all the milky plants, 
as well as upon corn, the ears of which she will bite off 
and eat before it is ripe; nevertheless, the depredations, 
even where hares are numerous, (at least in summer,) 
would be almost imperceptible, were it not for the runs 
which they make through the fields of standing corn, by 
which mischief cannot fail to ensue. When, however, 
they are found in something like reasonable numbers, 
even this is scarcely worth notice. In winter, hares are 
most to be dreaded; as in severe weather they will not 
only do considerable mischief amongst turnips and car- 
rots, but irreparable injury to young trees also; though there 
are various modes of preventing them from gnawing the 
bark, and thus the greatest objection to these animals is 
effectually overturned. Further, if hares, and also phea- 
sants and partridges, are provided with a little food in 
hard weather, their greatest injuries can never extend be- 
yond a mere trifle. However, the case is widely different 
with the rabbit, which, upon a well cultivated estate, be- 
come, in a very short period, incalculably destructive. 
The rabbit feeds much in the same manner as the hare, 
and in this respect, therefore, he may be supposed on a 
