Country Life
THE POPULAR DUST BATH.
In a Norfolk village by the sea, just before the " weapon- still-stand " came to an end with the arrival of September, a covey of partridges appeared each morning in order to dust in the congenial grit of two hard tennis courts. They must have flown some distance and over a good many houses to seek their desired and indeed, necessary bath. This is the fourth occasion—each time in a different county—that I have seen game birds, pheasants as well as partridges, using hard tennis courts for that purpose. We have routed birds from the roads, which provided ideal dusting. I believe the alleged dearth of yellow-hammers, which are the most consistent dwellers and singers by the roadside, was due solely to their change of habit. The tarred road and the car were repellent to them ; the dusty road and the horse had been causes of attraction. Since their abolition they were driven like the partridges to seek other dust bath.s.
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