The Effect of Climate on Species

There seems to be little doubt that the stock of partridges, grouse, and hairs on any large estate, depends chiefly on the destruction of vermin. If not one head of game were shot during the next 20 years in England, at the same time if no vermin were destroyed, their wood and all probability would be less than now. In some cases, as with the elephant, none are destroyed by beasts of prey,. for even the tiger in India most rarely dares to attack a young elephant protected by its dam. Climate plays an important part in determining the average numbers of a species. periodical seasons of extreme cold or drought seem to be the most effective of all checks.