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L

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THE GAMEKEEPER'S

DIRECTORY.

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THE

GAMEKEEPER'S

DIEECTOEY s

CONTAINING INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE

PRESERVATION OF GAME,

Mt^trmtion of Wtrmin,

AND THE

PREVENTION OF POACHING,

ETC., ETC.

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BY t^"1b. i^Mi<^^i'. V

AUTHOB OF THE SPORTSMAN'S CTCLOPuEDIA, SHOOTEE'S

COMPANION, ETC.

^ LONDON:

L PIPER BROTHERS, AND CO., PATERNOSTER ROW.

185L

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pull: : LIDKARY

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A' -^ •;/•., l:. .c\ and
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LONDON :

Priktbd by JosupH Rogbrsoit,

S46, Strand.

••• • •

• • • • •

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«•• • • •••• • ,••

, • • ••• • a ••

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• • * « ••
•• *«• • •

••••••• •

. • • • • •

• • • • • •

f-A.

*":3l

PREFACE

TO THE SECOND EDITION.

The Gamekeeper's Directory was written
by my late father, whose name is not mifamiliar
to the Sporting World. The First Edition
sold rapidly. My father's death, and other
circumstances, preveirS.edya^ Sj3c6iid'**Bdi*i6n
being published some'years,'^.." It is now,
after having undergone a cafefnf; revision by
myself, respectfully offered itQVtjIie/lMbJic as a
practical book of instruction for the class to
which it is particularly addressed, as well as
to Sportsmen in general.

JOHN B. JOHNSON.

Augmt^ 1861.

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• • • • •

• • • •••

• •

• •
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•
•

• • • • •<
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L

CONTENTS.

PACK

Preliminary remarks . . . . .1

Grouse . . . . . . .2

The Pheasant . . . . . .6

The Partridge . . . .9

Mode of hatching the eggs of .Pke&san^ pr ^P^nd|[(6^r /
when the parent hird ha^ '4>§69 km^d, o)* thd'^nfei^:: 'w
forsaken hy her; and also ofreaiiog'^ ^he^young^
with observations on the breeowg, ^^of. ^me in
general . . . :: ^r^ :.':". 10

Of Vermin . . . ; \ . 19

The Wild Cat . . . . . .23

The Martem, or Martin . . . .24

The Polecat. . . . . . .26

The Stoat . . . . . .31

The Weasel . . . . . .36

The Hedgehog . . . . . .37

VI (

CONTENTS.

PAGB

The Snake and the Adder . . . .38

The Rat

. 42

The Fox

. 55

The Kite

. 58

The Buzzard

. 63

The Sparrow-Hawk

. 65

The Hobby

. 68

The Merlin

. 69

The Kestrel

. 70

The White Owl

. 72

The Brown, or Wood Owl

. 75

The Raven

. 80

The Carrion Crow

. 84

Tke*iI<K)ded, ir R^ObaCiliW

. 87
. 93

TheJackd|i*r :.•.*!: r^
The»la|n?i! :: ...•.-;

* «

k • • • <

. 94
. 96

The Ja^ .* :. •••.•':•,.•,

. 98

The Starling .

. 99

TheGnll

•

. ib.

The Heron

. 100

The Coot and Water Hen

. 106

Oi Water Birds in general

. 107

The Otter

1 <

. ib.

CONTENTS. VU

PAGB

Trapping . . .114

ObseirationB on the use of Poison in the destruction of
Vermin ...... 125

Hereditary Instinct . . . .127

Observations on Poaching^ and on the means of pre-
venting it . . . . 131

The Game Laws ..... 163

Steel Man Traps ..... 184

Dog Spears ...... 186

General observations . . . . ib.

THE GAMEKEEPER'S
DIRECTORY.

Generally speakings the duty of a gamekeeper
is to preserve^ rather than to shoot^ those animals
which come under the description of Game ; but
shooting is the main object of his ambition ; and
a gamekeeper may be justly regarded as one of
the happiest of mortals, since his employment
affords him the greatest possible gratification. It
is a business which he follows, not merely from
choice — he is prompted to solicit the office from
the most anxious feeling, the most eager desire to
fill it.

It should be impressed on the mind of keepers,
however, that their first duty is to preserve the game
(and to kill it only when they receive orders) ; and
it is the purpose of the present publication to
point out and describe the best and the most
eligible modes of accomplishing that object. With
this view the breeding season very naturally firsf

B

2 THE OAMEKEEPER^S DIRECTORY.

presents itself; I shall^ therefore, commence with
a few distinct observations on it.

GROUSE.

There are three varieties of this bird found in
Great Britain : the most noble and the largest of
the grouse tribe, distinguished by the name of the
cock of the wood, or capercali, is found in
Sweden, Denmark^ and the northern parts of
Europe; and has lately been introduced into
Scotland by the Lord Breadalbane, with everj'^
prospect of success : in size it approaches the tur-
key. That beautiful bird, the black cock, with the
female, called the grey hen, and both coming
under the general description of black game, are
found in some parts of England ; as, for instance,
m Devonshire and some parts of the west ; in the
New. Forest (if not become extinct) Hampshire,
in S'taftbrdshire, and Derbyshire ; and in some of
the northern parts, particularly Cumberland. In
Scotland they are much more numerous ; they are
found plentiful in many parts of the Lowlands, as
on the moors belonging to the Duke of Buccleugh,
in the neighbourhood of Nithsdale; while in
many parts of the Highlands they may be said to
abound. Generally speaking, their young will be
on the wing about the latter end of May.

- Tfae red grouse, or moor gscme, Are fovad m tke
]iarts we bAve me&tioned in the {nreceding para-
graph ; they are namerotis on the hills of York-
diire and the north of England, while in mtavf
ipmrts of Scotland, and particularly in the High-
lands, they ta?e far more numerous. Red grouse
are to be found in some parts of Ireland, as well
as on the mountains of "Wales, The breeding
season of the red grouse takes place about the
same period as that of the black game. There is
this difference, however, that while the black cock
is promiscuous in his intercourse (like the phea-
sant), the red grouse pair like the partridge.

White grouse or ptarmigan are found in all the
colder regions of the north of Europe and
America ; but, I believe, are nowhere to be met
with in the United Kingdom, except in some of the
loftiest regions in the Highlands of Scotland.
They are rather less than the red grouse, and not
much sought after, since it is a most laborious
and wearisome task toascend those rugged heights^
where alone these birds are to be met with.
There are other varieties of the grouse, which,
however, need no further notice in this place.

In regard to the preservation of grouse during
the period of producing and rearing their young,.
1;he keepers should, in the first place, allow no
dogs to be trained or broke till the young brood
is strong on the wing, since such a practice can-

ij 2

4 THE GAMEKJSEPEB^S DIRECTORY,

not fail to be injurious to pairings nestling, incu-
bation, &c. There are few dogs (young ones in
particular) -which, on finding the eggs of grouse,
will not eat them ; while many of the young birds
would not fail to be chopped, if dogs were suffered
to range the moors before they were well on the
wing.

On moors where sheep are pastured numbers of
eggs are destroyed by shepherds^ dogs. Nor is
there much help for this ; a gamekeeper in such
a locality will do well to keep on the best possible
terms with the shepherds, and will find his interest
in so doing in an increased stock of game. From
being constantly on the look out after their sheep,
they cannot fail frequently to meet with nests,
the situation of which being known will enable
the keeper to protect them.

Hawks, of which various kinds are uniformly
seen on the moors, are destructive to young
grouse, and to the old birds also, when they are
jable to catch them. The large hawk, or moor
buzzard, breeds in the immediate neighbourhood
of its depredations ; and its nest, therefore, should
be diligently sought and destroyed ; the old bird*
caught also by means of the trap, or killed with
the fowling-piece ; the former being the prefera-
ble method. The merlin also breeds on the
moors, forming its nest on the ground in a bunch
of ling. I have frequently observed a smaller

OROUSI, 5

brown hawk on the moors, and have many time»
observed it kill small birds ; I never saw it strike
a grouse, though I have witnessed its exertions
for that purpose. Once in particular, in the year
1821, August 14, as I had in the morning
reached the top of a very steep hill, called Con-
stitution (on my way to BoUyhope Fells, Wear-
dale, Durham), and was descending the other
side, my attention was arrested by a large old (a
cock, most likely) grouse, which passed before me,
pursued by the smaller brown hawk just men-
tioned ; the birds were flying down the wind, the
distance, every instant^ perceptibly increasing
between them, till the hawk completely aban-
doned the chase^ and the grouse flew completely
out of my sight. Yet little doubt can be en-
tertained that this same brown hawk occasionally
succeeds in his purpose with the old birds, and is
very capable of making havock among the young
broods.

I have noticed the hobby, too, upon many of the
mountains in England; in the rocky parts of
which it produces its young. The hobby, though
not very large, is nevertheless strong, fierce, and
swift on the wing — of course destructive to grouse.
In fact, the hawk tribe, generally speaking, as
they are destructive to game, should be assidu-
ously destroyed. Various kinds of hawks appear
on both the Highland and Lowland moors, and

A

€ THE GAMEKl^BWBR^S DIRECTORY.

also the raven, the carrion crow, fee.: for tho
most eligible modes of destroying wkiehthereaA^
is referred to the articles, hawks, ravkn,

€R4>W, &c.

Animals of the weasel tribe are met with on
some of the grouse mountains ; for the destruc^
tion of which we refer to the articles, polecat,

WEASEL, &C.

THE PHEASANT.

The order of succession brings me to the phea-
sant.

At the pairing season the younger part of these
birds are apt to stray from the place where they
were bred, and indeed from those parts which
they have constantly haunted, and where they
have been regularly seen. The reason is the fol-
lowing :— On the approach of the breeding season
the old hen-pheasant drives away the young birds,
which she has hitherto attended with so much
care ; battles ensue, and the birds become scat«
terecl. At this period the gamekeeper should
frequently go round the very limits of his pre-
serves, for the purpose of driving in these unset-
tled birds, or he will be in danger of losing them
altogether. The cock pheasant is no doubt pro-
miscuous in his intercourse with the females ; but

THE PHEASANT* 7

there are instances where these Inrds seem to pair.
I have repeatedly observed a oock and hen pheasant
(birds bred the preceding season^ no doubt) stray
to a considerable distance from the preserve^
form a nest^ and breed. I have further obsenred
that the cock^ during the pmod of incubation^
continued in the immediate yicinity of the nest;
and even when the young were hatehed and fol*
lowed the hen, he very often appeared in their
company.

Pheasants seek strong covers for nestling; they
not unfrequently select clover fields for the pur-
pose^ particularly where they are situated close to
a wood. They should be constantly disturbed
from such situations, or the nest will most likely
be mown over before the young emerge from
the shell, and perhaps the old bird destroyed
also by the stroke of the scythe. They are also
apt to form their nests at the bottoms of dry
ditches — very dangerous places in case of sud-
den rain, which, by filling the bottoms for
only an hour or two, will effectually destroy
the eggs. The pheasant generalljrbxitdies^rbout;
the middle of June, varying a week or two,
according to the mildness, or otherwise, of the
season.

As the pheasant generally chooses a stronger
cover than the partridge for depositing her eggs^
and frequently forms hear nest in woods and

8 THE GAMEKEEPER^S DIRECTORY.

plantations^ she becomes^ on this account^ exposed
to the depredations of the wild cat^ the martern,
and the smaller vermin^ which seek the shelter of
such places ; but is perhaps better protected from
what may be called feathered venniriy as^ for in-
stance^ the raven, the crow, the magpie, and the
jay ; any of which will greedily devour the eggs^
though they might not attack the pai^ent bird.

The pheasant, when absent from her nest, does
not, like the partridge, cover or hide the eggs ;
and, in consequence, when they happen to be de
posited in a more exposed situation, are often
discovered by the mischievous birds just men-
tioned.

In pheasant shooting the hen is generally
spared, and it frequently happens that an insuffi-
cient number of cocks are left ; the consequence
is, a number of addle eggs the following season.
Corn fields (wheat, for instance) present the best
situations for the nests either of these birds or the
partridge.

It sometimes happens that an old hen pheasant
will assume a similar pliunage to the cock; iu
which case they should, if possible, be killed.
When this circumstance happens they become
barren, and very much annoy the younger breed-
ing females. They may be known by their in-
ferior size to the cock, as well as bv their colours
being less vivid and less beautiful.

9

THE PARTRIDGE.

What has been observed respecting the phea-
sant breeding early or late, according to the sea-
son, is equally applicable to the partridge. How-
ever, it may be remarked, that the general hatch
of these birds takes place about the 20th of June —
a week earlier perhaps in the southeiii, and a
week later in the northern parts of the kingdom.
For the purpose of nestling, the partridge seeks
clover and grass fields, early sown wheat, the bot-
toms of hedges, &c. She cai'efully covers her
eggs whenever she has occasion to leave the nest
(unless suddenly driven away), as if to hide them
from the observation of the predaceous birds enu-
merated in the preceding article. Like the phea-
sant, when her eggs happen to be deposited in
clover or grass, they are liable to exposition by the
scythe, while she risks her own life into the bar-
gain ; as it is a well-known fact that both the phea-
sant and partridge will si times sit so close,
particularly when near hatching, as to suffer them-
selves to be cut to pieces by the mower.

If it so happens that the breeding season be
early, a similar influence is felt by the vegetable
kingdom from the weather ; the grass is ready for
the scythe at an early period, of that the nests of

b3

10 THE gamekeeper's DIRECTOUY.

the pheasant and partridge seem always liable to
be mown over. Under such circumstances, the
next object of consideration is to provide for the
hatching of the eggs from which the bird has been
either driven or taken away, which must form the
subject of another article.

If after the pairing season a superabundance rf
male birds remain, they generally associate in.
small covies or packs, and are called old baclielors.
They do not seem to interrupt the breeding
birds, but, in the shooting season, never Ue so
well as a regular cov^ey.

Very old hens of partridges and pheasants
should, if possible, be killed, in order to pro-
loote good breeding.

MODE OF HATCHING THE EGGS OF PHEASANTS OK
PARTRIDGES WHEN THE PARENT BIRD HAS BEEN
KILLED, OR THE NEST FORSAKEN BY HER; ANI>
ALSO OF REAJIING THE YOUNG, WITH OBSERVA-
TIONS ON THE BREEDING OF GAME IN GENERAL.

Under this head I shall proceed to show that the
eggs of pheasants and partridges may be very
easily hatched, and the young reared with much
less trouble than is generally supposed, by means
of a foster-mother. I am well aware that, from the
n imerous failur?3 which are constantly occur-

HATCHING £GG& 11

ring in hateking and rearing these young birds
when deprived of their parent, it is regarded as
of difiicnlt accomplishment. This arises^ how-
ever, merdy from ignorance of the proper mode
to be pursned ; hence, any undertaking may be-
come difficult where the method of effecting it is
not understood.

When eggs are mown over, or oth^wise de-
prived of the attrition of the fennde, they should
be carefully removed. And it may not be amiss
to state, that eggs upon which the bird has sat
but for a short pmod are much more liable to de-
struction by removal than when they are near
hatching. If at the former period they are shook
they are destroyed ; a good plan, therefore, is to
place them in bran or saw-dust, by which means
they may be safely conveyed from one place to
another. I need scarcely observe, that as little
time as may be should be wasted in the business^
though when the eggs are near hatching they ap-
pear to sustson little or no injury, even if a con-
isiderable period should elapse from the time of
their exposition till they 9xe again placed in «
^tate of incubation. The eggs thus removed
should be put under small bantam hens, a few of
which may readily be kept sitting in anticipation
of any casualties. When the young are hatched
they should be placed, with the hen, in a small
hutch, which, while it protects the fost^-mother

n

12 THE GAMEKEEPER^S DIRECTORY.

from the inclemencies of the weather, will admit
of the egress and regress of the young birds. A
fence^ of a foot in height and about six feet
square^ should surround the hutch^ to prevent the
chicks from rambling away before they acquire
sufficient strength; and a net may be thrown
over the whole if danger be apprehended from
birds of prey. When the birds become strong
they may be removed into a field of standing
com, and the further services of the hen dis-
pensed with. Should it so happen that a hen
willing to sit cannot be founds by pulling a few
feathers from her belly^ and stinging her bare skin
with nettles^ she will be induced to seat herself on
the eggs without ftirther trouble.

The situation chosen for the business should
not of course be in the poultry yard, as the young
partridges or pheasants would be killed by the
domestic poultry, or otherwise destroyed. The
hutch should be placed in an orchard, or some
such place, where there is grass, as the insects
which adhere to the blades and bents of gras^
are greedily eaten, and constitute good food for
the young birds, whether partridges or pheasants.
In gentlemen^s parks and grounds there are
generally to be seen small places, where several
trees perhaps are enclosed, with posts and rails :
such are good situations for the purpose ; where
the hen will sit and hatch in securitv, and where

BEARING THE YOUNO. 13^

the young birds will find insects as well as grass^
upon both of which they feed. In addition to
which, however, ant's eggs should be procured
for them, or maggots, or both ; or, if these can-
not be had, eggs boiled hard and chopped small
will answer the purpose. But as at this season
of the year ants' eggs are very easy of access, and
maggots also, a variety, or mixture of food, is-
by all means to be recommended. In a state of
unlimited freedom, young partridges and phea-
sants feed upon grass, insects, and ants' eggs,
and maggots,* when they can find them. Con-
sequently, by adopting this system of diet, we are
providing the birds with what nature intended
for their use; and they will not fail to thrive
upon it.

But the maggots should be prepared for them,
and indeed may be produced also. Expose a piece

* " The pheasant," observes Goldsmith, " seems to feed
indifferently upon everything that offers. It is said by a
French writer that one of the king's gamekeepers, shooting
at a parcel of crows that were gathered round a dead carcass,,
to his great surprise, upon coming up, found that he had
killed as many pheasants as crows." The evident inference
in this case is, that the pheasants were feeding upon the car-
rion ; it forms a striking example of the incorrectness of
closet naturalists, and points out the propriety of receiving
their accounts with the utmost caution. Ihe fact is, the-
pheasants had approached the carcass in search of maggots.

1

14 THE GAHEKEEFEB^S DIRECTORY.

af camou in the open air^ and it will soou produce
maggots ia abundioiee; wbieh^ in the first in-
stance^ will appear dark coloured, and are covered
irith a sort of husk. If given to the birds in
this state they will be found injurious, as th^
purge excessively; therefore, when tte maggots
are taken from the carrion, they should be placed
in bran : in the course of about twentv-foiu- hours
the husk will have been scoured off, they will
become white, and may be freely given to the
young brood.

In the course of a short period crumbs of bread
may be given them, and even corn as they grow
larger. As to insects, these they will seek for
themselves amongst the surrounding grass, and
they will, at the same time, eat some of the grass
also. To show the fondness of these birds for in-
sects, place a few flies before them, and they will
be greedily devoured. Should insects be found
numerous on the bents and blades of grass (which
will be the case when showers frequently fall, or
when the atmosphere is lowering or what is called
heavy), the young birds, it will be perceived, will
feed much less greedily on the ants' ^gs^ or other
food which is offered them, inconsequence of their
devouring great quantities of the insects in ques-
tion. It wiU easily be perceived when the young
birds are in health, firom the bright appearance of
the eye ; also, the feathers will grow fast, and ap-

REARING THE YUUNO. l'>

pear smooth and glossr. Young partridges, when
very healthy, will be observed to twitch or move
their litfele taib very often. Place some sand et
light earth near them, in which they may bask.

They may be called together by whistling ; but
41S they become strong and are aWe to fly well,
they begin to ramble away fi'om their foster-
mother, and at length provide for themselves, if
not previously removed. However, they never
depart to any great distance; and, therefore,
where many pheasants and partridges arc thus
hatched, tlicy will always be found in the imme-
diate domain or neighbourhood.

It is a general remark, that a dry spring and
summer are favourable to the breeding of game,
which is undoubtedly a fact ; but the subject may
be thus divided : if very little rain falls during
the months of May and June young pheasants
and partridges will be found very numerous ; and
if, after thi« period, frequent light showei's
descend, the young broods will be healthy and
.thrive very fast, since the winged insects will be
pressed to the earth, as it were, by the state of
the atmosphere, and their favourite food will in
consequence be found in abundance. A heavy
thunder shower will, however, frequently cause
great destruction of young birds in a short time.

It would appear that for the first three weeks
after hatching the young birds do not require

A

1

16 THE OAMEKEEPEK's DiaECTORY.

water. By way of experiment^ I this year allowed
four yonng partridges^ wUch had been hatched
under a domestic hen^ to drink as much water as
they pleased — they all died. I took one of the
same brood entirely away firom the hen into the
house when it was five days old, and fed it as
already described. At three weeks old it had be-
come a strong bird. I then allowed it to drink
water freely, and occasionally indulged it with
milk, of which it is very fond. It ran about the
house during the day, and at night was placed in
flannel warmed for the purpose, where it reposed
till the morning. It became uncommonly famiUar.
It will follow me into the garden or homestead,
where it will feed on insects and grass, and I oc-
casionally observed it swallow large worms. Of
all things, however, flies appear to be its favourite
food. Before he was ably to fly, I frequently
lifted him into the window, and it was truly
amusing to witness his dexterity in fly catching.
He had been named Dick,* to which he answers
as well as possible. Dick is a very social being,
who cannot endure being left alone ; and if it so
happen (as it occasionally does) that the bird finds-
every person has quitted the room, he immediately
goes in search of some of the family ; if the door

♦ This bird was eventually killed by accident^ by a servant
opening the parlour door.

J

REARING THE YOUNG. 17

be shut, and his egress thus denied^ he utters the
most plaintive noise, evidently testifying every
symptom of uneasiness and fear in being sepa-
rated from his friends and protectors. Dick is
a great favourite, and on this account is suffered
to take many liberties. When breakfast is
brought in he jumps on the table, and very un-
ceremoniously helps himself to bread, or to what-
ever he takes a fancy; but, different from the
magpie or jackdaw, under similar circumstances,
Dick is easily checked. He is fond of stretching
himself in the sunbeams ; and if this be not at-
tainable, before the kitchen fire. On being taken
into the house he was presented to the view of the
cat, the latter at the same time given to under-
stand that the bird was privileged, and that she
must not disturb him. The cat is evidently not
fond of Dick as an inmate; but, though jealous,
she abstains from violence. I have seen her, it is
true, give him a blow with her paw, but this only
occurs when the bird attempts to take bread, &c.,
from her ; and not always then, as she frequently
suffers herself to be robbed by him. Dick has
also made friends with my pointers. He sleeps
in my bed-room, but is by no means so early at
riser as his fraternity in a state of nature ; how-
ever, when he comes forth his anticks are amusing
enough : he shakes himself, jumps and flies about
the room for several minutes, and then descends

18 THE 6AMEKEKF£R^8 DIRECTORY.

into the breakfast room. Diek is a healthy ^jroag
bird^ and has never been more than two yards
from my elbow during the time which I have oc-
cupied in writing his biography.

Young partridges and pheasants are tender for
some time after they are hatched^ bnt when three
weeks old may be considered as out of danger.

If hatched under a hen^ and she at liberty^ and
svifFered to lead them into the yard or elsewhere,
they will all die in a very few days.

Pheasants are fond of white peas ; and when it
becomes necessary to feed these birds when growiL
there is nothing better, especially if steeped in
treacle : of raisins also they are very fond, but
this is an expensive food, and not always to be
procured. They are fond of sugar in any form.

It is generally supposed that grouse do not
breed well in a dry season, but are found more
numerous when it is moist ; but the observations
which I have just made respecting pheasants and
partridges are equally applicable in this case also.
In a dry season grouse are supposed to suffer from
a want of water ; while I am decidedly of opinion
that, if they do suffer in a dry season, it is rather
from a want of food than lack of water. The
food of young grouse consists principally of in-
sects; if, therefore, the state of the atmosphere
continue to be such that insects are enabled to
keep out of their reach, the young birds may

VKllMXN. 10

perhaps pemh 1^ hunger^ not from thirst. I have
^dsited the moors for a considerable number of
years^ and have nnifcrmly fonnd grouse more
^abundant in a dry than in a wet season ; and I am
of opinion that if those persons acquainted with
the moors would reflect on the subject^ they
would come to the same conclusion. As far as
relates to incubation^ wc well know that a certain
degree of warmth or heat is indispensably re-
quisite to produce a satisfactory issue; and, there-
fore^ a wet season cannot be otherwise than highly
injurious. It is equally evident that continued
wet must be very detrimental to the young brood,
particularly for the first fortnight after it is
hatched.

In respect to hares, as far as my observations
will enable me to form an opinion, it would appear
that they are very little affected by a wet breed-
ing season. These animals sometimes suffer from
a disease called the rot, which makes its appear-
.ance not during the breeding season, but in ^?in.
ter. It principally affects hares which lie on low
marshy grounds, but is not of freqiient occur-
rence.

OF VEKMIX.

Under this head may be placed two distinct
classes of vermin — namelv, the four-footed and the

20 THE OAMEREEFEB's DIRECTORY.

ivuiged. The former includes the wild cat, tlie
martern, the polecat, the weasel, the stoat, &c. ;
in the latter we may enumerate the whole of the
hawk and the owl tribes, the raven, the carrion
crow, tlie rook, the jackdaw, the magpie, and the
jay. The hedgehog is destructive to the eggs of
game almost beyond conception ; nor am I alto*
gether without suspicion of the snake and the
adder, as will be seen hereafter. I shall treat
each of these under a distinct head, to which the
following may be considered as a sort of introduc-
tion : —

The four-footed vermin above mentioned hunt
the greater part of the night, seldom venturing^
out in the day time, unless compelled by himger,.
when they may sometimes be seen running along
the bottoms of the hedges, to the imminent dan-
ger of the sitting hare, the pheasant, and the par-
tridge ; and particularly to the young of these
birds. " It is supposed by some that the quantity
of game destroyed by polecats, &c., is too trifling:
to deserve the attention of the sportsman ; but I
am fully persuaded that he must be a good shot
indeed who will bag in a fortnight more game
than is kiUed by a polecat in the space of a year ;
or, rather, in the breeding season, fur this is the
time that these animals commit their most exten-
sive depredations. From the moment the young
haores and rabbits are brought foi*th, and the hen

VERMIN. 21

pheasant and partridge commence sitting on their
eggs^ until the former are six weeks or two months
old, and until the young covey and nide are able
to skim far above the highest com and cover,
polecats, stoats, and weasels are making daily and
nightly havock among them ; sucking the eggs,
seizing the old birds on the nest, and the young
ones when their callow pinions are unable to
carry them out of the reach of jaws which never
quit their hold : these rapacious animals destroy^
ing in a few minutes whole litters of hares and
rabbits, which might one day have afforded many
a see-ho and good run, or steady point and neat
shot, to some greyhound or pointer-loving sports-
man. Nor will the polecat during the autumn
and winter rest satisfied with the humble fare of
mice and small birds, but will often seize the
wounded hare and winged partridge.

'^ As some proof of the extensive depredations
of the polecat, I will relate an instance that oc-
curred to myself while snipe shooting near Dell
Quay, about two miles from Chichester. I ob-
served my old dog. Dash, very busy in the bottom
of a hedge which bordered upon a large piece of
rushy marsh ; he was surrounded by the feathers
and wings of birds which he had just scratched
from a sort of small cave under the bank, and
upon my encouraging him he began to scratch
afresh, and in a few minutes had brought out as

22 THE gamekeeper's directory.

mauy semUdecayed win^s^ legs^ heads^ &c.^ of
birds as would have filled a bushel basket. Amoii^
the least decayed extt\i8e I distinguished the
wings of moorhens^ coots of a golden plover^ and
of a number of larks^ and (attbough very early
in November) of three or four snipes. It was not
long before I found the track and excrement of a
polecat^ and, from the quantity of spoil discovered,
it is probable that this vampire of the fields had
kept his head quarters in this spot f<H* a consider*
able time.^*

The weasel tribe, I am inclined to think, pxirsue
their prey, for the most part, by scent. Their
speed is not sufficient to follow the hare or the
rabbit with success. They may surprise these
animals on the scat, it is true ; but in this case
they are led, I think, to the spot by the sense of
smell. At all events, I have seen them repeatedly
pursue the rabbit; and the moment they lost
sight, owing to the intervention of a fence or
other obstacle, they uniformly put their noses
down and flung for the scent like a hound.
Further, I have seen a rabbit, alter having run
some scores of yards (gaining a considerable dis-
tance from its enemy), sit down and allow the
weasel or polecat to reach it } as if conscious that
its enemy could and would follow it even into its
burrow, and that therefore escape was impos-
sible.

23

THE WILD CAT

CanBot justly be said to e3ast iu tlik countiy ;
and therefore those wUd cats which are uot uufrc-
qaently met with, particularly in extensive wood-
lands, have either strayed from some house in the
vicinity, or have been bred from one which had
previously quitted its domestic abode, and assumed
the original habits of the tribe.

It is always a very ^ispicious drcumstance
when a cat is observed prowling or watching iu
the fields or hedges at a considerable distance
from her abode. In this case she is sure to
destroy game. I have known several cats of thi»
description that would catch young hares, as well
as partridges, and bring them home; and ^uch
cats are generally held in great estimation
by their owners. They are easily caught by
placing a baited trs^ in their way. The trap
should be considerably larger than those gene-
rally used for rats ; and perhaps the best bait is^
a small bird— *a sparrow, for instance. Valerian
possesses a sort of fascinating attraction for cats ;
and therefore, if thought necessary, the trap may
be rubbed with it ; they are, however, easily
caught without it. It might be hastily supposed
the gun would be the more expeditious, and the

1

24 THE GAM£KE£F£R^8 DIRECTORY.

more eligible way of accompUshing the object;
but in this case the circumstance becomes known
most likely to the owner, who, in revenge, will
perhaps resort to some species of retaliation. The
trap makes no noise : the occurrence, therefore,
even if suspected, is not easily ascertained ; and
consequently the stimulus to revenge will not be
so strong.

The hutch trap may be used for catching the
wild cat (see the next article, Martern).

When a cat has become completely wild, and
brings forth young in the woods, she becomes
more active in depredation, in order to provide for
her kittens ; and these, too, soon adopt the same
predaceous course. The gun may here be freely
used, and the trap called into action also, or the
havock amongst the game would amount almost
to extirpation.

THE MARTERX, OB MARTIN.

This animal is met with only in some parts of
Great Britain. It is found, however, in many of
the woody parts of this country, particularly in
Yorkshire and the north; and is not uncommon
in the fells of Cumberland, Westmoreland, and
Lancashire.

The martern lives in the woods ; and in winter

THE MARTERN, OR MARTIN. 25

will very often shelter itself in the nest of a
magpie or crow. It will also take possession of
the habitation or dray of the squirrel ; killing the
original possessor if he happens to be at home.
It breeds in the hollows of trees, and produces
from four to six young ones at a time ; which are
brought forth with their eyes shut, but thrive
rapidly, and soon arrive at a state of perfection.
As the female has but a small quantity of milk,
she compensates for this defect by bringing home
eggs and lining birds to her offspring; which she
thus habituates to a life of plunder and carnage.
The feathered tribes, whenever they perceive
their enemy, the martem, testify every mark of
animosity and terror; and afford the keeper a
tolerable idea where to look for this destructive
animal.

There is a similar animal, called the '^ Pine
Martern,'^ which is sometimes, I believe, though
very rarely, seen in England. It is not uncom-
mon in Scotland and some parts of Wales.

The martem feeds on game and birds ; and will
also, it is said, eat rats, mice, &c. This animal
seizes the pheasant when roosting.

When the haunts of the martem are known, it
may be taken with a steel trap, baited with a small
bird, or a piece of a pigeon or pheasant. They
may be taken in the box trap (such as are used
in warrens), which should be baited with a bird iu

c

1

26 TRX GAMKKJSSFSK^S OIltECTOltY.

the ccntfe^ aad the feathefs strewed through the
trap^ from one end to the otb^. But a more cer-
tain way ol takiag them, it is said^ in a coyer
paled iiiy^ is the following: — ^As they coostantlj
run the pales a^ posts to cby themselves in the
morning, a groove should be eut ixk sonue of the
posts where thejr ran^. sufficient to contain a large
jmt trap. The trap must be set in the groove
without a bait; and in leaping upon the place
they sere s«re to he caught. The trap should be
made fast to the post by a small chain.

THE FOLECAT.

This animal i» known by various names or local
appellations. In some parts of the country it is
caUed a fitchet, in ethers a foulmart, in others
again a fillemark. The polecat is horger than the
ferret; which, however,, it very much resembles in
appearance and disposition.

The polecat, like the fox, avoids as much as
possible the human countenance; and, like the
fox too, possesses the most undauated courage.
However, in compaxisg these two ammals, though
they happen to agree in the two pairticulars just
mentioned, yet they aape enemies to each other,
or, in other words, the fox will not fisdl to kill the
i)olecat whenever they me^ ; in fiict, the fox may

THE POLECAT. 27

be regarded as the unrelenting enemy of all the
MQaller vermin. Bejnard vfiW kill and eat the
wild cat^ or any other cat or rat which might
happpen to come in his way.

Polecats evince an insatiate thirst for bloody
and are very destructive to all kinds of young game;
and if it is not openly so to that which is full
grown^ it is because it is not so easily caught. It
will surprise hares on their seats^ will seize par-
tridges or pheasants on the nest^ and is incredibly
destructive in a rabbit warren. It will^ like all
the other animals of the weasel tribe^ kill much
more than it can devour; in fact, so fond are
these animals of sucking the blood of their victims^
that, in a -pkaice like a rabbit warren, or wherever
their food is presented in such abundance, the
polecat (and the same of the weasel and stoat)
would continue destroying, if undisturbed, merely
for the sake of the blood.

Their retreat is generally in banks well sheltered
witii Inrambles or underwood, or amongst brakes
or woods, or other similar situations. They
burrow in the ground, making a tolerably large
hole, about two feet deep, which may be easily
known by any one who has once noticed the hole
of a poleeat« In winter they will frequently
approach houses (x dwellings, and will rob the
hen roost, the pigeon house, or even the dairy
when pressed by hunger* On these oecasion&

c 2

28 THE gamekeeper's directory.

they contrive to form a retreat in or under some
of the walls^ and if they are unable to secure an
asylum of this sort they will make their way under
the corn stacks ; and, whenever this happens to
be the case, all the rats in the immediate vicinity
remove to a greater distance. The polecat is a
deadlv enemv to the rat, and of this the latter is
very well aware : and yet it would appear that the
polecat (from its size) is unable to follow it through
its burrows or runs ; and the rat, as if conscious
of this incapacity in the former, removes no further
from the presence of its enemy than what may suit
its convenience. The writer witnessed an instance
where a great nimiber of rats were found in a
stack of wheat ; but all of them in the upper part.
For several feet from the ground not a rat was to
be met with, which excited some surprise; but
the circumstance developed itself on reaching the
bottom, where it was found an enormous polecat
had taken up its abode.

The female brings forth her young in the springs
to the number of from four to six. To " stink
like a polecat^^ is a common observation in some
parts ; and indeed so impregnated does every part
of the animal appear to be with a very offensive
fetid matter, that even the frir, which is soft and
warm, can scarcely be divested of it. Whenever
the polecat happens to be killed, the fetid matter
just mentioned issues from the pores of its body

THE POLECAT. .20

in great quantities^ forming a very unpleasant
effluvium j which is perceptible even at some
distance.

There are fanners to be met with^ who, when-
ever a polecat approaches their bams, buildings,
or houses, afford it every possible protection on
account of its enmity to rats; but as its chief
propensities are in direct opposition to the views
of the sportsman, so gamekeepers should be careful
to destroy it wherever it is to be met with.

The polecat is seldom seen during the day,
unless compelled by hunger to quit its retreat ;
but as soon as night sets in it leaves its hole in
quest of prey, when it may be pursued and killed
by terriers. In the midland counties hunting the
polecat by moonlight forms a diversion for school-
boys and the younger branches. After nightfall,
when the polecat rambles abroad, its hole (if
known) is stopped; the terriers are thrown off;
one of which, upon whom the greatest dependence
can be placed, has a small bell £Eistened round his
neck, in order that the hunters may know where
the dogs are questing. When they hit upon the
scent the terriers give tongue ; and a^ soon as the
polecat finds himself pursued, he makes directly
for his hole, which, if stopped, he cannot of course
enter, and is compelled to seek some other retreat,
during which he is perhaps kiUed. If run to
ground, he is very unceremoniously dug out and

so THE gamekeeper's DIRECTORY.

worried on the spot : it being a general ofinum.
mmmig the rustics (in Leicesterakire^ for mBtKoce^
tbat whenever or wherever a polecat is run t»
gfOUHcl^ they hove a ri^kt to ^g hini ont.

The above method^ lK>wever^ is not the mode im
which I would recommend gamekeepers to destroy^
ike polecat ; for tlie accomplishment of their pmv
pose they can go a much shorter and surer
way to work : this animal seems possessed of £ttle
cunning, and is trapped i^ith little difficulty.
The steel trap is generally used for this animal^
but it may be taken in the following manner : —
Box traps may be set in the bottom of ditches, or
under walls or pales, with the ends of the traps
fenced up to for four or five yards aslant, and two
or three yards wide at the entrance^ with earthy
bushes, or broken pales, so that the animal cannot
pass without entering the trap. A trail of red
herrings, half broiled, should be drawn from one
trap to another ; and the traps should be baited
with the same material, with which also the ends
of the traps may be rubbed. By having both
ends of box traps painted white, and rubbed with
herrings, cm* the entrails of any animal, hares wiH
be deteiTed from entering. This mode is well
calculated to catch the wild cat, or indeed any
kind of quadrupedal vermin. Therefotre, when
any of the traps are sprung, a bag suffidently
large to admit an end of the trap is to be pro-

VHS tVOAT. 31

Tided and sEpped over it^ and by nttliii^ at the
other end of the trap the creatine mil gpring into
the bag; for withoot name sneh precaatum, should
a trild eat be cauf^t^ the moment the U^t is ad-
mitted it inll fly in tiie fiice of the penon opening
it. This is the ■le&od generally adopted by
frarreners.

The steel trap, however, k by Ar the best and
«urest metibod of taking the polecat ; and, indeed,
the best method of eatching all kinds of vermin.
It is more portable, m.(xre easily prepared, and
Tery rarely &ils m its operation (see the article
Trappixg).

THE STOAT.

This animal is mnch less than ik^ polecat, but
larger than the ^w^aseL

The stoat is frequently found white in Great
Britain during the winter season, and is then
;generally ealied the " White WeaaeL"

The stoat is uncommonly destructive to game,
and ertaemdy inischieToas in a nbhrt warren.
It wiU, like the pdecait, seiBe pheasants and par-
tridges on the nest, will destroy their ^gs ; and,
in fact, on the score of depredation, has scarcely
An equal. It will surprise hares on the seat, and
though the hare may move off, her deadly enenty

32 THE GAMEKEEPER^S DIRECTORY.

clings with the tenacity of a leech^ and never quits
its hold unless disturbed by the approach of a dog-
or a human being; and even then it abandons it&
prey reluctantly. Like the polecat^ where it caa
obtain a sufficient supply, it will merely suck the
blood, and leave the carcass untouched. It will
pursue the hare or rabbit like a hound. . The hare
or the rabbit has no enemy more fatal than the
stoat ; it wiU follow and terrify them into a state
of absolute imbecility, when they yield themselves
up, making piteous outcries, particularly the hare.
The stoat seems bolder and more courageous than
the polecat. Like that animal, it seizes its prey
near the head ; the wound is very small, but said
to be mortal; sirnce, if a hare or rabbit be liberated
after having heen bitten by a stoat, it hngers for
some time and dies. Such, at least, is the general
opinion, and most likely the correct one.

The stoat will enter the hen roost and destroy
all the chickens ; but it seldom attempts the cock
or the hens. It will kill all the smaller kind of
birds which it is able to surprise, and devour their
eggs also.

However, inasmuch as it will kill rats and mice,,
it is sometimes not molested by the farmer — at
least for some time; though the latter, in the
end, generally pays dearly for its protection.
Some years ago while shooting, at no great dis-
tance from my home, a heavy shower came ou.

THE STOAT. 33

and I sought shelter in the house of a highly re-
spectable farmer whom I very well knew. On
going forth again, on the weather becoming fine,
I observed a stoat near the gate leading into the
yard, and the animal more than ordinarily bold.
I was in the act of pointing my gun towards it,
when the farmer, perceiving my intention, ear-
nestly entreated me to desist ; obsen'ing, that he
w^ould not on any account have the animal de-
stroyed, as it kept his premises firee from rats.
Some time after, when I passed that way, I
enquired if the stoat still kept the rats away,
when I learned that the remedy had become worse
than the disease : the stoat destroyed all the eggs
within its reach, and ultimately attacked the
younger tribes of poultry ; and was therefore killed.
The stoat pursues rats very fiercely, as I have
repeatedly witnessed ; and as it can follow them
into their holes, they have little chance of escape
from it. Mice it will also kill if it meets with
them; but it cannot pursue them into their
retreats.

If the stoat had strength equal to its fierceness
and courage, it would be a very formidable animal
indeed. I recollect, when a school-boy, in passing
over a place called GueFs Moor, in Leicestershire,
I observed several stoats collected together close
to a small pool. I had a very stout large terrier
with me, which immediately ran at the stoats;

c3

34 THE GAMEKEEPER^S DIRECTORY.

whik they, far from oiFering to retreat, boldly met
the d(^6 onset. The battle lasted for some short
time; but at length the dog succeeded, but not
without difficulty, in killing or completely disabling
four of the stoats — one or two others got away. I
have sometimes seen dogs that were accounted
good rat-killers that would not touch a stoat.
This animal, when irritated or killed, emits a very
fetid effluvium.

The stoat burrows in the ground, like the pole-
cat, making, however, a smaller hole ; but when
it approaches houses or buildings it generally
forms its retreat under or in some of the walls :
nor is it so shy of human contact as the polecat.

The stoat is not difficult to trap, and may be
taken in the same manner as the polecat. Some
rub the bait with musk, of which all animals of
the weasel kind (and I include the martern and '
polecat in the number) arc supposed to be fond.
The musk will have the effect of attracting them
from a greater distance, on account of its strong
scent, and that is all ; but the business may be
very well and very easily effected without the aid
of this powerful perfume. Those, however, who
feel inclined to try the experiment may easily
procure a little essence of musk from any druggist,
«2id sprinkle the bait ^dth it.

r

»

THE W£A«£X.

Is less than tlie stoat, as I have stated in the pre-
ceding artide. Tbe weasel mi^ be said never to
exceed seven inckes in length firom the nose to
the tail.

The motion of the weasel conasts of unequal
boands and leiqps ; and in climbing a tree it gains
a considerable height by a single spring from the
gFoimd. In the same precipitate manner it jumps
upon its prey ; and, as it possesses great flexibility
of body, it easily evades the attempts of much
stronger animak to seise it« We are told that an
eagle having pouneed upon a weasel mounted
into the air with it, and was soon after observed
to be in great distress : the litde animal had extri-
cated itself so much from the eagle's bold as to b^
able to fasten upon the throat, which presently
brought the eagle to the gnmmd, and gave tlic
weasel an opportunity of escs^ong*

The activity of Ae weasel is remarkable : it will
run up the aideis of a wail with such £Btcility that
no place is secure from it. It always preys in
silence ; and never utters any ery except when it
is struck or pursued by a d<^^ when it expresses
resentment or pain by a rough kind of squeaking.

36 THE gamekeeper's directory.

This ammal brings forth its young in springs to
the number of three, four, or five; and takes
great pains for their acconunodation by preparing
a bed for them of moss, or some soft warm mate-
ria}. The young are brought forth blind, but
soon acquire sight and strength sufficient to accom^
pany their dam in her excursions.

The weasel sleeps in its hole during the day,,
and issues forth in the evening for the purpose of
depredation ; in fact, its manners and habits are
so very similar to those of the stoat that one de-
scription might serve for both of them. Like the
stoat, the odour of the weasel is strong, but most
offensive in summer, or when irritated or pursued.
Like that animal also, it will destroy eggs, enter
the hen roost and kill the chickens : nor has the
hare or the rabbit, the partridge or the pheasant,
a more deadly enemy. It is to be caught in the

same manner as the stoat. When the nest of any

«

of these animals is suspected in any part, no paiust
should be spared for its discovery and destruction.
The three animals just described demand the
gamekeeper's utmost attention. Whether they
are susceptible of being rendered serviceable in
the destruction of rats and mice, and thus become
a substitute for the domestic cat, might be a sub-
ject worth consideration. When taken young
they are easily tamed.

J

37

THE HEDGEHOG.

This animal is found in most parts of England.
It abounds in the coppice noods of the north*
western part of the kingdom ; and it is^ in the
breeding season^ very destructiye to the eggs of
game. In the county of Hereford^ on one occa-
sion^ as many as twenty to thirty eggs were foimd
together^ carried from various parts by this
animal^ and stored for future use. The hedgehog
is sometimes found in spring or autumn by the
shooter or dog-breaker. Most dogs will point it
as they will a partridge ; and often when a steady
point has been made at a dry bank^ the dog has
been blamed for making a false one^ when very
little search would have discovered a hedgehog
close to his nose^ rolled up^ and resembling a
bunch of dried leaves. It ought never to be
spared. It is not much seen in the depth of
winter; it may be torpid during that season, for
aught I know to the contrary, but it is active in
summer, and is occasionaUy caught in the weasel
traps. If its print be seen, a trap should be set
in the track. The best method of catching it,
however, is with a dog (a terrier), trained to hunt
dry banks, in spring and autumn. When dis-
covered it may be destroyed by drowning ; few

38 THE GAMEKEEPfeB^S DIRECTORY.

clogs being equal to the task of breaking into its
prickly covering.

THE SNAKE AND THE ADDER.

These reptUes are generally hdd in detestation
and abhorrence. They prey upon frogs, fiekL
mice, &c., and destroy the unfledged young ©f
winged g9me whenever it comes in their way.

It might be hastily supposed that young par-
tridges, being so swift of foot, would easily ran
away from the snake ; but before we come to aach
a conclusion we must look at all the eircumstaxiceB
of the case, and particularly consider the mode m
which reptiles of this kind secure their prey. It
has already been seen that the weasdL tribe are
able to overtake the hare or the rabbit, notwith-
standing their very inferior speed. The wretched
animal which f(^ms the object of pursmt is so
terrified that it may be said to be literally fright-
ened to death. The same may be said of the prey
of the serpent tribes, though they resort to a very
different mode of accomplishing their object.
Serpents of necessity .move very slowly; and
therefore may be said sather to wait tor than
pursue their prey. When they perceive an objeet
for their purpose, they open their mouth to its
greatest possible extent (and it is astoiashing to

THE 6XAKE AXD THE A0DEK. 39

-what a width they can distend their jaws, as I
have witnessed)^ and ghixin^Iy fix their eyes upon
it. The aiiimal becomes paralyzed^ as it were^ or
;at least unable to make ofF^ and after making a
few tiims^ and uttering plaintive cries perhaps,
approaches its deadly and glaring enemy; who,
AS soon as its victim comes within reach, darts at
it, seizes it fierceW, and ultimately swallows it.
If the creature which the serpent has killed be
difficult to swallow, the latter covers it with a sort
of mucus or saliva, and at length draws, or rather
sucks it down its throat ; though the operation
may perhaps employ a considerable time, during
which the reptile^s eyes appear ready to start from
the sockets from the violent straining which they
-seem to undergo'; When the prey is fidrly swal-
lowed the reptile becomes completely sluggish and
inactive ; and as the process of digestion is re-
markably slow, they will remain for some time
before their activity returns ; and they again seek,
or rather lay wait for prey.

Many accounts have been given through the
medium of the press of the great size or bulk of
animals which the larger tribes of serpents have
swallowed, and the peculiar mode in which they
have seized and swallowed them.

The singular power in the serpent tribes of ren-
dering their' prey unable to escape, from glaring
upon it with distended jaws, has been called fasci-

40 THE GAMEKEEFER^S DIRECTORY.

nation ; but the term is incorrect^ since the victim
is rendered incapable of escape, from terror.

In this country there are but two varieties of
the serpent tribe — ^the '^ Snake" and the '^ Adder/^
the former of which is larger than the latter, and
is at the same time destitute of the fangs, which
clearly shows that it is incapable of inflicting a
poisonous wound. The snake is more elongated
than the adder; its head and jaws are narrower,,
and its tail tapers more to a point. I have fre-
quently seen the snake a yard in length, or more ;
the adder is seldom more than two-thirds as long.

The adder is, above all, distinguished from the
snake by its fangs, which project from the upper
jaw and hang outside the lower lips. It is more
dusky coloured than the snake, and altogether
more ugly. Its young are formed in eggs in the
womb, which, however, burst the shell before they
are brought forth, and are thus produced alive.
If an adder be met w ith in a very advanced state
of gestation, is killed and opened, eggs will be
found containing living young, which, on being
liberated from the shell, will make oflP— -at least, if
they are sufficiently advanced.

The adder is frequently found on moorlands,
fens, and in low situations ; the snake in old dry
walls, banks, &c. The bite of the latter (though
when caught by the hand it seldom, I think, at-
tempts to bite) is attended with no ill conse-

THE SNAKE AND THE ADDEE. 41

quence ; that of the former is highly dangerous,
and has often proved fatal^ though it would ap-
pear to me not difficult of cure^ as the following
case will show : —

Some years ago^ while out in search of young
wild ducks^ upon a fenny marsh, in the month of
August, my dog was bitten by an adder on tlie
point or end of the nose, which immediately
swelled to a frightful size. I made my way to the
nearest house (distant at least a mile), and pro-
cured some sweet oil, which luckily was in the
house. I applied it to the part, which I continued
to rub for a considerable time, and I had the plea-
sure of perceiving the swelling to abate. I con-
tinued at intervals to rub the oil upon the part for
two hours, when the swelling was so much re-
duced that I went home, but applied sweet oil
again several times during the afternoon; the
swelling entirely subsided, and the dog appeared
in his usual good health and spirits the following
morning.

I am incHned to think that most of the vegeta-
ble oils, if not the whole of them, would have the
desired effect. Animal oil, I am of opinion, would
not answer, though I never had an opportunity of
experimentally ascertaining this point.

From a consideration of this subject altogether,,
it is higlily advisable for gamekeepers to destroy
these reptiles whenever opportunity offers. They

42 THE GAMEKEEPIBlt's DIRfiCTO&Y.

continue in a dormnht state during the winter in
their holes ; they exeep forth as the warm weather
approaches, and are the most active and most dan-
gerous during the heat of summer.

THE RAT.

TIats are very destructive to game of every kind,
as well as to the spawn of fish. They increase
verv fast.

During summer they reside principally in holes
on the banks of rivers, ditches, and ponds ; but
us winter comes on they approach the human
habitaticms, and very often take up their abode in
barns, corn stacks, &c.

They will bring forth three times a year, and
produce £rom ten to fifteen at a birth. They are
numerous in most large towns ; and, though they
seek the fields on the approadi of summer, it
generally arises from a diminution of food about
farmhouses, &c., as well as from ihe insecurity
which thev feel from the removal of the com
stacks, the clearing of the bams, &c. ; at the same
time that plenty of food is pres^ited abroad in the
fields. When u colony of these animala fa^^ns
to take possession of a field of standing com they
make dreadful havock.

These animals will attack young poultry, and

\

THE KAT. 43

-even the old, if pressed by hunger ; and tlidr vora-
city is such that they have been known to fasten
on the fiitter parts of hving swine. Nor are in-
fants in their cradle ahvars free from their attacks :
indeed, the rat may be regarded as a general
. marauder.

Rats become uncommonly bold from impunity,
but they are easily destroyed or driven away when
the proper means for that purpose are adopted.
There are various methods of taking or destroy-
ing these creatures ; the most effective of which
will be detailed.

The weasel tribe pursue the rat as fiercely as
the hare; but the rat, unlike *^the poor timid
hare/^ does not resign itself to its fate. It is in-
teresting to see the small weasel attack a large
rat ; the latter will get away if possible, but find-
ing escape out of the question, it turns upon its
invincible assailant, and fights w hile it is able, cry-
ing out all the time. From the active motions of
the rat in this contest, as well as from its evident
superiority in strengtli, a spectator might suppose
that the business must end in the defeat or de-
struction of the weasel; but, after a time, the
efforts of the rat evidently grow languid, while
the weasel may be perceived sticking like a leech,
its teeth fast hold of the rat about the heail
or neck. The battle lasts no great length of
time, for when once the weasel has got hold, all

44 THE gamekeeper's directory.

the efforts of the rat are not sufficient to dis-
lodge it.

The ferrety it is well knovm, is in general use
for the destruction of rats, assisted by the terrier ;:
and this was a kind of business or employment
followed by numbers throughout the country.
Tliese professed rat catchers, however, have very
greatly diminished in numbers, as well as in re-
pute, since it was often found that premises which
they had visited, and had been paid for clearing,
were seldom long without a fresh colony. The
fact is, the men thus employed were suspected of
turning down rats upon the premises, for the pur-
pose of obtaining employment. But professed
rat catchers are still to be met with, particularly
in seaport towns.

The rat is both a very bold and a very cunniug
animal, but aware, from hereditary instinct, that
he is the object of general persecution ; and, as if
conscious of the varied and superior means which
man employs for his destruction, he becomes the
most suspicious animal in nature.

My residence is in the country, and I have
periodical visits of rats, and adopt the following-
mode of ridding myself of these uninvited and un-
welcomed guests. They come at the end of
autumn or beginning of winter, and at first are
very shy ; however, finding themselves unmolested,
they soon become bold, even to an impudent

THE RAT. 45

degree. As soon as I perceive they are reconciled
to tkeir quarters^ and liave made one or more re-
gular runsj I procure a handful of newly ground
malt^ with which I mix a handful of good sweet
oatmeal^ and an ounce or an ounce and a-half of
arsenic* I make the whole into a dough with
water^ and then into pills about the size of a pea
or horse-beau. These pills I drop or throw into
their holes^ in a seeming careless manner, taking
<;are thus to place them out of the reach of poul-
try, dogs, pigs, and indeed of every living thing
but the rats. The rats never refuse it. It would
appear to create thirst, as the animals leave their
holes in search of water, and on these occasions
seem incapable of much exertion : they will suflFer
a person to approach and kill them.

The secret in this case, as in the other, is the
deception, though in a different manner : in the
first case their suspicion subsides, from feeding for
some time in security, and they are thus deceived ;
in the second case the pills appear as if they had
dropped in their way by chance. If you put the
pills upon a plate near the mouth of their holes,
or in any other formal manner, it is ten to one if
a rat will touch them; but when the rat finds
them, as it were, accidentally dropped into his hole
or his run, he will eat them greedily.

' * If too much arsenic is used it will produce vomiting,
and the rat will recover.

46 THE gamekeeper's directory.

The quantity of malt^ oatmeal, and arsenie
wliich I have mentioned will make pills sufficient
to destroy hundreds of rats. It may happen that
all the rats are not killed. Be this as it mav,
should any of them have escaped the pills^ they will
not fail to quit the x^remises ; and, indeed, if con-
stantly served in the same manner^ it would appear
that their visits would be less frequent. For some
years I had more visits than one from rats during
twelve months; these visits afterwards became
annual : and it is now two years since a rat was
seen about my premises.

On one occasion, by way of experiment, I
allowed the rats to remain unmolei^ed for a con*
siderable period : they made their way under all
the floors about the premises; they bred most,
numerously ; one very lai^ female burrowed into
the ground immediately underneath one of my
wooden dog kennels, to which a pointer was gene-
lallv chained, and there formed a n^t. Mv
colony of rats appeared very flourishing ; and the
animals grew audaciously bold from impunity. It
is true, the cat killed a few of them ; but they did
not seem to take much alarm from this : and, ia
fact, the cat, after being severdy bitten, testified
but little inclination to meddle farther in the busi*
ness, as if overfaced by the numbers and audacity
of the rats. I have seen them, towards evening,
not only approach the door, but come into the

TBS tLAT, 47

kitcken^ three or four at a time. They made their
WBj through the floor (d the pantry ; they might
be seea in the horses' mangers, claiming their
sliare of oats; they ascended to the pige<m loft :
and I prepared some pills. On the third day after
the pills had been placed in their holes not a
liring rat was to be seen about the premi»e;».
Every one of them, howeTcr, could not have been
killed, as I had not used a sufficient number of
pills — not, perhaps, for one-half of them. This is
the easiest method with which I am acqiiainted of
getting nd <^ rats. It rehires no preparatory
feeding ; I have tried it many times, both on my
own premises as weU as on those of my neigh-
bours, and nev^ knew it to fail. Good sweet
wheat flour mixed with arsenic will answer tlie
purpose, but as newly ground malt emits a very
fragrant smell, of which rats seem to be fond, I
think it preferable to wheat flour. But neither
the one nor the other wiU answer the purpose un-
less placed as already directed, that is to say, in a
9een%mg careUis manner. At the same time, let it
be duly impressed upon the mind that it should
be so placed that nothing can reach it but the
rats. Mice may be destroyed in the same man-
ner, but the pills should be made smaller.

Should there be one hundred rats about the
premises^ I firmly believe half that number of pills
would be quite sufficient to clear them. There

48 THE gamekeeper's directory.

would not be a pill for each, it is true ; but those
which escaped the poison would not fail to take
the alarm, and would immediately decamp:
further, they will not very soon return. I never
used more than fifty pills, I think, to the largest
colony of rats I ever encountered. This is, as I
have already observed, decidedly the easiest, the
most speedy, and the best way of getting rid of
rats. If employed on board ships at sea, the rats,
when some of their fellows are poisoned, cannot
quit the vessel. This amounts to nothing, as a
few pills can be placed as long as any rats remain
alive, and they will not fail to take them. If malt
be not procurable, sweet wheat flour, or sweet
oatmeal, will answer the purpose.

If a pill or two be wrapped or twisted in a bit
of paper, and carelessly thrown in the way of the
rats, they will rarely fail to be thus deceived.

A very worthy friend of mine (now no more),
employed a professed ratcatcher to clear his
premises of these vermin, which the man accom-
plished ; but in effecting this desirable object he
poisoned a pig, three pea fowls, and an old
favourite wild duck.*

* My friend resided at a short distance from an extensive
marsh much frequented by wild ducks. He kept tame
(lucks, and was surprised one evening to observe a wild
duck amongst them in the yard. The wild duck attached
itself to a young drake, they paired, and bred regularly. It

r

THE KAT. 49

The steel trap and wire cage are used for catch«
ing ratSy but seldom with much effect. If one
happens to be caught you will rarely catch a
second^ unless the trap be immediately removed.
On one occasion a number of rats were in the
habit of making a passage through my yard^ in
Spools from one of the main sewers to some corn
warehouses at the back of the premises. The
path generally chosen by them was up an open
drain at one side of the yard at the foot of a wall.
I dammed up this drain so as to obtain a depth of
five or six inches of water^ and placed a common
spring trap underneath the surface, hanging, by
way of bait, a piece of red herring some six or
eight inches up the walL My first experiment
was in the evening, and in a few minutes after I
had set my trap a rat was caught ; the stratagem
was perfectly successful. The animal had no sus-
picion of the hidden danger; and if he did not
bite at the bait, he stopped to smell at it, rearing
up with his hind legs on the bridge of the trap.
I removed my first captive immediately, and re-
{daced the trap ; still watching within hearing.
In a few minutes another was caught, and after-
wards another. The next evening I again set the

resigned its unlimited liberty for love, and became quite
tame ; it had continued four years in this state of domestica-
tion^ when it was unfortunately poisoned by the raC
catcher.

50 THU: GAM£K££F£A'8 DIRECTORY.

trap^ And in a short time a rat fell uaito tke saare ;
but^ being cafled away by bnsiBess^ I ysm^ ccon-
petted to kt faim temmm. imtcmdied several bouxs.
I aftenmds aet 1^ ti»p^ but never again coidd
induce anotber rat to ^ near it. I hai'e not the
least doubt tbat bad i ooixtimiied to reuioTe tlte
captives as 80<m as they were secured, i^at the rats
would have goae on to the trap witiiont suspicion
0r besitatien so Icmg as a ^ngle osie remained
about the place ; hat the deception was discovered^
and^ though my yard was still made a road from
the sewers to the com warelionses^ a different
track was chosen, and the tcouirse of tibs draan
carefally avoided^

If a rat be cax^ht and his skin singed so as to
x;anse considerable psan^ and he be leaned into his
hate again, he will make mnc^ lamentation^ and
the rest wiU ibrsi^e the place.

iRats are so voracious thst tbere is soarcelv auy*
thing which they wiU not devcRiU' ; (tiheyiiave been
knoT^-n to attack human beings when caofined in
a dungeon, and to kill and devonr them. It is
very wdl known that rats have been loaest in num-
bers, and, so &r ^Knu givbig way, ha've «carapelled
the passenger to "fly before them.

A gentleman of my acquaintance, who resides
in a neighbouring town, and who is exteDsivcly
coucerned in the wine and liquor trade, was about
sixteen veai's since verv much infested with rats.

THE KAT. 51

Upon his premises there was a kind of apartment,
made of biick^ arched, with a large aperture at the
top. This was converted into a rat*trap^ by
placing a small board in such a situation that
irhen a rat readied &e end of it, where the bait
was &stened^ the centre became overbalanced, and
the rat was precipitated into the vault below. The
board, disencumbered of the weight of the rat,
righted again ; and thus, in one night, forty-three
rats were caught. In the morning, when the ver*
min were observed, one of the servants, a son of
the sister island, immediately volunteered his ser-
vices to despatch them. A ladder was placed for
his descent, whidi the man desired might be drawn
np the moment he reached the bottom. He had
armed himself with a shiUaleh and descended
with tiie utmost alacrity, quite pleased with the
business he had undertaken ; the rats in the mean-
time had gadiered themselves togeth^ at one'end
of the place. The ladder was drawn up; but na
sooner did the poor fellow move one st^ towards
tiie rats, than, setting up their backs and squeak*^
ing loudly, they flew at him with the utmost fiiry.
The man was almost petrified with alarm ; he was
deprived of the power of using his cudgel, and
those above lost no tbne inr getting him out of the
place. He was speechless for a short period ; the
poor fellow was killed a few weeks afterwards by a

fall from an upper story, but during the short time

d2

53 THE gamekeeper's directory.

which elapsed he did not recoyer from the effects
of the fright^ such an effect had it made upon his
mind. A terrier bitch was lowered into the vault,
and the rats did not fail to attack her as soon as
she approached them ; she went to work, however,
and killed the whole ultimately, but such labour
did it appear, that she paused, and even lay down
for a few seconds, as if for wind, before she had
completed the business.

Notwithstanding the fierceness and courage of
the rat, when he becomes captive he loses his
spirit. Men are occasionally seen with a number
of rats in a wire cage, into which they will uncere-
moniously put their hands and take hold of the
rats with impunity. It has been supposed there
is some secret in this; and so there is, it is the
following : — ^The man puts his hand into the cage
with confident firmness ; the rats have lost their
spirits with their liberty, and make no attempt to
bite. However, should a person attempt the same
manoeuvre in a hesitating or timid manner, the
rats will resume courage from such timidity, and
will not fail to seize his hand.

If when a rat is at large he be seized firmly
with the hand and grasped very strongly, he will
not bite; in fact, h6 is thus deprived of the
power.

Rats are numerous in London ; and as their re-
treats are for the most part under ground in the

THE BAT. 58

sewers^ large and small^ they are not easily de«
stroyed^ or, at least, they would be very difficult to
exterminate. Some few years since, several
criminals made their escape firom one of the
prisons in London by contriving to get down into
one of the main sewers* which emptied itself into
the Thames. After they had pursued their sub-
terranean route for some little time, their progress
was opposed by rats, which appeared in such num-
bers, and attacked the culprits so fiercely, that they
cried for help, and were at length taken up
through one of the gratings, and conveyed back to
prison.

It is, however, in the fields, and at a distance
from any human habitation, that the rat becomes
the object of the gamekeeper's especial care. Bats
are to a certain eirtent gregarious, and generally
take up their abode near to a pond or rivulet. In
such a situation the destruction of the whole colony
may be insured in the following manner : — Select a
place some three or four feet deep, and steep-to the
side, with an overhanging tree or bush ; fix pegs
of wood in the bank or side of the pond or brook,
so as to support a common spring trap about two
inches beneath the surface of the water ; suspend,
about six inches above the water, directly over the
trap, a piece of herring, a bird, or indeed any ani-

* The main sewers are, I believe, sufiiciently large for a
man to stand upright, or nearly so.

M THE GAMEKEEPEB's DIRECTORY.

mal sobstanoe ; the rat will not fail to go to smeU
at it, and to do so must rest its hind legs upon the
txap, and wiH thns be caught. However, as I
liave prerunisiy stated, if the trap be suffered te
vemaiu with its captured victim exposed to sight
for any length of time, and as it is impossible that
a gamekeeper can watch one particular colony of
rats, some plan is necessary to omceal the trap
the moment it has done its office. This it ia
i;hat renders a depth of water necessary ; the rat
in its struggles will throw the trap firom off the
pegs fixed to support it, and it will sink to tb^
bottom. It need scarcely be said that a string, ,
proportionate to the depth of water, must be at-
tached to the trap and fastened to a peg fixed
nnder the sur&ce of the water, to enable the
keeper to recover it. I have adopted this plan
frequently, and always with complete success. I
have recommended it to others, and never knew it
fail. It is worthy the attention of the farmer, as
^ell as the gamekeeper. It is less trouble than
any other method that can be adopted for the de-
struction of this loathsome vermin. The traps
may be visited and>eset at convenience; and the
drowned rats are not altogether without value, as
they become the food of the pike or eel.

u

THK nxz

Is esteemed as (me of tbe SMwt sa|pM»ous aud
most crafty of ammalsy but p^hiqpyi enoneooaly
so. He is certaixily very suspicious^ well knowing
that man and most, if not aU, creatures are
against him ; in £act it must be admitted tbat, as
the iox makes war upon all animals, so aU animals
manifi^t thor dislike of hbaa. Dogs hunt him
-with the greatest eagerness ; while birds^ who know
him to be their mortal enemy, attend him in his
excursicms, and give each other notice of the ap-
proaching danger. The crow, the magpie, &C.,
hover over, loudly expressiBg their anger, aud
thus occasionally enable the huntsman to recover
the chase. He is an eajmiy to game,, it is true ;
but not to the extent which is gaiieridly supposed*
And he possesses qualities or propcsadtties which
ought, in somedegree> to relieve the deeper shades
iu his character : he kills and devours the polecat,
the stoat, and the weasel ; the wUd eat> rats, field
mice, and serpents; and, where rabbits, are within
i-each^ he will give himself little trouble about
either mnged game or leveretsk The rabbit is
sure game for him; this animal he can pursue
with success^ and dig it out of its burrow whem
necessary. And as a proof that the fox is much

56 THE oamekxepeb's directory.

less detrimental even to pheasants than is gene*
rally supposed^ I can very [honestly assert that I
have often seen abundance of pheasants ^ here
foxes have been plentiful also. I once saw a fox
found by the hounds of Mr. Meynell in a small
cover at Radnor^ near Derby^ from which phea«
sants got up literally in abundance whilst the
hounds were drawing it. I could give many
similar instances. As to the depredations of the
fox upon the farmer^ the damage amounts to a
mere bagatelle. I lived ten years in Leicester*
shire^ in what might be called the centre of the
Quomdon hunt, where there was no lack of foxes^
and I can honestly and fearlessly assert that the
loss sustained by farmers from foxes, if divided
equally throughout the hunt, would not amount
to sixpence each farm. I have made inquiries on
this subjeet in Northamptonshire, Derbyshire,
Shropshure, Yorkshire, &c., &c., and have uni-
formly had reason to draw the same conclusion.
If you inquire of a farmer, indeed, respecting the
depredations of the fox, you will be told he is a
most mischievous creature among poultry, geese,
and lambs. Continue the inquiry, and ask him
how many lambs, geese, &c., he has lost by the
fox for the last seven years, and he will answer
not one; though, perhaps, he lives in the imme-
diate vicinity of a strong cover containing earths
and every other attraction for foxes. If geese are

\

THE POX. 57

left in the fields in a careless manner the fox will
sometimes make free with one; if a hen be
allowed to sit upon eggs in the bottom of a hedge
at a little distance from the house^ renard may
])erhaps make her his prize. These are circum-
stances^ however, which do not often occur; and
as to lambs, there were not six destroyed by foxes
on Charnwood Forest in the course of ten years.
Chamwood Forest may be regarded as the nursery
of foxes for a considerable part of the Quomdon
hunt, and, at the period to which I allude, it was
not enclosed, but pastured by many thousands of
sheep.

At the same time, let it not be forgotten, that
the fox affords the best diversion in the world ;
all other field sports sink almost to nothingness
in the comparison. Fox-hunting is indeed worthy
of a Briton, and is attended with much collateral
good; amongst which may be noticed the very
superior breed of horses which it greatly tends to
promote, to say nothing of a hundred other less
important benefits.

If in countries which are not hunted by fox-
hounds it be thought necessary to get rid of foxes,
they should be taken in a hutch trap and sent to
a fox-hunting country.

The fox produces from three to six at a litter,

and generally brings forth under ground. Theae

can be easily caught and re noved.

D 3

68 THE GAM£K££F£R's DIRECTORY.

THE KITE.

We now come to a tribe or list of creatures which
are as destructive perhaps to game as those ahready
enumerated^ though they seek it in a different
manner ; the former pursue their prey by scent,
these by sight.

The kite may be regarded as the largest of the
predacious birds known^ or, at leasts which breed *
in this country. And it may be observed, that all
birds of the hawk kind are furnished with a large
head and a strong crooked beak, notched at the
end, for the purpose of tearing their prey ; they
have strong ^ort legs, and sharp crooked talons
for the purpose of seizing it. Their bodies are
formed for war, being fibrous and muscular. The
sight of such as prey by day is astonishingly quick ;
and such as ravage by night have their sight so
fitted as to discern objects in the gloom of even-
ing with astonishing precision.

Thus formed for war, they lead a life of solitude
and rapacity ; they inhabit, by choice, the most
lonely places, and the most desert mountains.
They make their nests in the clefts of rocks, in
trees, on the ground, in mouldering ruins, &c.
Whenever they appear it is only for the pur-
poses of depredation, and they may be regarded

TH£ KITS. 59

as gloomy intruders on the general joy of tb«

landscape.

They are fierce by nature^ and this fierceness ex*
tends to their youngs which manifest a disposition
for carnage from the earliest periods. Other birds
seldom forsake their yonng till they are able com-
pletely to provide for themselves, and are near^
full grown; the hawk tribe drive them off at a
period when they should protect and support
them.

All animals that by the conformation of their
btomach and intestines are obliged to live npon
flesh and support themselves by prey, though thejr
may be mild when young, soon become fierce and
mischievous by the very habit of using those arms
with which nature has supplied them. As it is
only by the destruction of other animals they can
subsist^ they become more furious every day; and
even the parental fediugs are overpowered in their
general habits of cruelty.

Another effect of this natural and acquired
severity is, that almost all birds of prey are un-
sociable and soKtary. Like the wild cat and the
weasel tribe, they lead a lonely life, and arc only
united in pairs by that instinct which overpowers
for a time their rapacious habits of enmity. Ex-
cept at certain periods, they usually prowl alone^
and enjoy in solitude the fruits of their plunder.
All birds of the hawk tribe are remarkable for

60 THE OAMEKEEPER^S DIRECTORY.

one pectiliarify which seems to distinguish them
not only from the rest of the feathered tribes^ but
perhaps from the whole of animated nature : all
the males of these birds are less and weaker than
the females.

The kite may be distinguished from the rest of
the rapacious tribes which infest this coxmtry by
his size and his long-forked tail. He appears to
use very little exertion in the act of flying, and,
with a low sailing motion, seems ever on the wing.
As almost every bird of the air is able to make
good its retreat from him, he may be said to live
upon accidental carnage. He may, therefore, be
considered as an insidious thief, who only prowls
about ; and when he finds a bird wounded or dis-
abled instantly seizes it^ and, like a famished glut-
ton, is sure to show no mercy. Kites will pounce
upon young chickens, young ducks, and young
geese, whenever an opportunity offers, and are
very destructive to game; they not only destroy
the young of winged game, but the old birds also if
they can catch them, as well as rabbits, young
hares, &c. I never saw them attack an old hare ;
though I have no doubt if they found one wounded
or disabled they would not fail to seize it.

The kite— called in some parts the glead and
the ring tail, and, erroneously, the goshawk — ^ap-
pears larger than the buzzard, but is not so in
reality ; it has a much longer tail, a greater ex-

THE KIT£. 61

panse of wing, but does not weigh so heavy. It
is of a brown grey colour, and is altogether a
handsome bird. Its sight, like the whole of the
tribe, is remarkably quick ; and, though a bird of
very slow flight, it will dart down upon its prey
with the rapidity of lightning, as I have many
times witnessed. It is found in woods, but more
commonly seen upon forests, downs, moorlands,
marshes, and fens. When shooting ducks, &c.,
upon marshes or fenny places, I have known these
birds attend the sportsman, as it were, and if a bird
happened to be so wounded as to get beyond the
reach of the shooter, it was pursued and made
prize by the kite. In fact, the kite is a general
prowler, to whom scarcely anything seems to come
amiss ; I have watched them for hours (particu-
larly on Chamwood Forest) ; I have seen them
sail round and round a flock of geese where there
were small goslings, and, watching their oppor-
tunity, they have seized one and borne it away.

However, as these birds are for ever on the
watch for their prey, so are they also for thdr
enemies, as if knowing themselves to be thieves,
and that they have no friends, they will not suffer
the approach of the shooter, unless by accident ;
and, therefore, other means than the fowling piece
become necessary for their destruction. They
form their nest upon the groimd, amongst rushes,
&c. ; and I have known them to trim up the old

^ THE GAMEKEEPSR'9 DIRECTORY.

nest of a crow^ and deposit thdr eggs in it* Their
nests should be sought^ and the eggs or the young
destroyed ; and^ perhaps^ an opportunity may be
offered for tilling (me or both the parent birds.

To secure this marauder^ seta few traps in his
regular beat^ baited with a small rabbit or a bird^
and he is sure to be taken. In champaign coun-
tries bird'busfies should be made half a mile
asunder. What is meant by this expression isj
a large stake is to be driven into the ground, and
left seven feet high ; bushes and boughs are to be
laid round this post, and kept hollow at the bottom
to the extent of ten yards, for the partridges to
run under. Many coveys will be driven into these
bushes by the kite, who Mrill fly roimd the bushes
for a few turns, and then alight on the post, where
there must be a trap let in ready to receive him,
such as described for the martem.

There is no better trap than the common war-
ren iron trap; it should be about eight inches
square, not round, as a square trap will catch with
much more certainty than a round one. For the
kite, set the trap against a bush which extends a
little, so that you may place the end of it against
the bush, and that the trap may be somewhat
flanked by the bush, that he must walk on to it.

Bury the trap lightly, and fasten a piece of bul-
lock^s lights, a piece of rabbit, or almost anything
of a similar kind, not to the bridge of it, but

/

<

THE BUZEARB. 6^

beyond it^ so that he may walk on the trap ; then
scatter about two handfals of feathers round and
over the trap : the feathers will allure him down
from a great height, he supposing some bird lies
there killed. See the article trapping.

THE BUZZARD.

This bird (called also the puttock), as 1 have ob-
served in the preceding article, appears scarcely
so large as the kite, nor is it so handsome. Its
prevailing colour is brown. It is by no means
uncommon in this country; it is found on the
open downs, on the moors, in the fens, and in the
woodlands. It is very common in the woods of
Leicestershire, Derbyshire, StaflRordshire, &c.,
where it may be frequently seen hovering over
them for hours together. It keeps sailing slowly
in circles at a great height, seeming as if it did
not move its wings, precisely after the manner of
the eagle.

The buzzard has been very erroneously de-
scribed by those who have written on the subject ;
he is represented by them as " a sluggish, inactive
bird, that often remains perched upon the same
bough for whole days together ; and more resembles
the owl kind in countenance than any other rapa-

64* THE oamekeeper's directory.

cious bird of day/^ The fact is, the buzzard, like
all canuYorous birds, when once he has made a
good meal, becomes inactive till the cravings of
his appetite return ; but those who see tliis bird
will have some difficidty to trace much resem-
blance betwixt his countenance and that of
the owl.

The buzzard brings forth its young in trees, and
generally in the old nest of a crow, which it re-
pairs for the purpose. The nest is never found at
the extremity of any of the branches, like that of
the rook, but generally placed on or near the butt
of the tree, where the branches fork oflF or divide.
They seldom lay more than two eggs, sometimes
only one, which is nearly as large as that of a hen,
but rounder ; of a dusky white colour, marked
with red spots. I have frequently taken the eggs
from the nests of these birds, as well as the young ;
and when the nest contained young, I have often
found food in it also : I have found birds, and
parts of birds, and also rats.

The buzzard found on the moors, &c., is a
variety of the same tribe, which forms its nest on
the ground, and is scarcely so large as the buzzard
of the woods. They have similar habits and man-
ners, however, and are destructive to game. Like
the kite, they are imable to overtake the grouse or
the partridge by rapidity of flight, but they con*

THB SPARROW-HAWK. 65

trive to surprise them ; they destroy many leve-
rets, and are altc^ether very fierce and very mis-
chievous.

They are easily caught with a young rabbit for
a bait. He may be taken with a middle-sized
square steel trap, baited with fresh bullock^s lights,
a pigeon, small bird, &c. ; he may, in fact, be
taken in the same manner as the kite, which I
have alreadv described.

THE SPARROW-HAWK.

This bird is the swiftest and the fiercest of the
hawk tribes which generally breed in England.
The male sparrow-hawk is about twelve, and the
female fifteen inches in length.

The sparrow-hawk is not only very destructive
to game, but will make great havock among young
poultry of all kinds ; it will commit its depreda-
tions in the most daring manner, even in the pre-
sence of man.

These birds form their nests in high rocks or
lofty ruins ; and they are often found in the woods
in this country, where they trim up the old nest
of a crow or a magpie for the purpose. They lay
four'br five eggs.

The nest of this bird should be diligently sought

^ THE OiiXE&SZmK's 9IBECTORY.

(ami acv iaileedy akonld the Bcst of ftU lNH*dR de*
stroctiYe to game) and destroyed, akootiBg the
parent birds first, if possible. It is very easy to
»huot the female while sittixig; wh^ij^ however,
there are yooBg in the nest, the destvactiou of
both the 6IA bird» may p^rhiqis be aocooii^ished.
If one be killed the oth» will come to feed the
yoimg, and thus afford of^portiuBty for the ob-
ject in view. It may be remarkecl, that the spar-
row hawk does not feed its young nearly so often
as the crow, the magpie, &c., but it gives the food
to its young in much larger quantities at a time ;
and this is the case with the kite and all the hawk
tribes. The old birds, for instance, after having
.satiated themselves become inactive, however
iieree and vigilant at othar periods ; and as they
devour a considerable quantity at a time, so the
calls of hunger are delayed, and this delay will be
found in proportion to the quantity of food which
the bird has eaten.

I have frequently taken young sparrow-hawks
from nests which I have found in the woods in
the midland counties, on which occasions the nests
generally contained parts of birds. I once foond
part oi a wood pigeon lying by the side of three
young sparrow-hawks — the remainder of the
wood pigeon lay at the bottom of the tree. It is
tolerably evident that a sparrow-hawk could not
carry so large a bird as a wood pigeon, and this

THE SPARROW-HAWK. 67

wems to account for the circnmttiiiioe of part of
the latter being at the foot of the tree.

I have repeatedly seen a sparrow-hawk knock
down a partridge ; if on such occasions the hawk
be approached too soon^ the partridge will fly
away. The former when he pounces upon the
latter holds it fast^ when on the ground^ with his
talons ; he plucks away the feathers from the
back or belly, and begins to devour his victim
alive ; so that if approached while the partridge
remains strong, as its wings have not been
touched, it will fly away.

I once obser\ed a hawk strike an individual
bird of a covey which I had sprung ; I made for
the place, and was lucky enough to kiU both the
hawk and the partridge, one with either barrel.
The j)artridge rose on the wing stoutly, and on
picking it up I found its back stripped of the
feathers.

The abstinence, or rather the mode of feeding,
of all the tribes of hawks may be very well under-
stood from the following observations : — A friend
of mine for several years kept an eagle (the small
brown eagle, such as are frequently seen in the
Highlands of Scotland), and was in the habit of
giving it fowls for food. When the bird felt the
calls of hunger it would seize a fowl, which was
thrown to it, with the utmost fierceness; and

I

/

68 THE OAM£KEEP£R^S DIRECTORY.

after having gorged itself would become inactive,
and would doze away a day or two, or perhaps
more, before it again testified any inclination for
food.

The sparrow-hawk may be trapped, but not so
easily as the kite or the buzzard; he is more
active, and more choice in his food than these
birds. The trap used for the sparrow-hawk need
not be so large as for the kite or the buzzard ; it
should, however, be properly concealed, and for
the bait a sparrow or a lark is to be preferred.
See the article trapping.

THE HOBBY,

This bird is scarcely so lai*ge as the sparrow-hawk,
but very rapid on the wing. They are seldom
seen in the south of England, nor are they numer-
ous in any part of it, though they breed in the
northern counties. I have repeatedly met with
them on the moors, where they make great havoc
among the young grouse. They may be trapped
in the same manner as the sparrow-hawk.

69

THE MERLIN

Is the smallest of the hawk tribe seen in this
country; though small^ being not much larger
than the thrush, it yields to none of the tribe in
fierceness. I have seen it strike snipes repeatedly ;
nor would it, I am persuaded, hesitate to attack a
partridge. In crossing one of the moorlands of
Staffordshire, some dozen years since, I observed
a merlin on the ground by the side of the road,
which, on my approach, took wing, but after fly-
ing about a hundred yards again alighted; and
this the bird repeated several times. At length,
on approaching it for the last time, the hawk sud-
denly turned round and struck a snipe. The snipe
was on the ground when struck by the merlin,
and the latter made the utmost efforts to carry off
the prize. It rose with the snipe in its talons, but
flew with great difficulty. Being on horseback I
pursued; the merlin dropped its victim several
times, and again seized it with the quickness of
lightning, till at length it became completely tired,
and was forced, very reluctantly, to relinquish the
snipe altogether.

The male and female of the merlin are perhaps
more dissimilar in plumage than any of the hawk
tribe. The male is a dark-blue or slate colom*.

70 THE gamekeeper's DIRECTORY.

with yellow-spotted breast ; the female is not un-
like the male sparrow-hawk. They breed on the
fells in Westmoreland, and the north of England
on the ground, making their nest in a bunch of
heath, with an entrance to it, resembling a small
rabbit hole. They may be trapped in the breed-
ing season, by concealing a trap in their passage
to their nests, or they may be shot at the same
season ; the latter, however, is no easy matter, for
such is the rapidity of their zig-zag flight when
disturbed from the nest, that the best shot in the
world can never make sure of his object.

THE KESTREL.

This bird is very common, and consequently very
well known in this country. It is about the same
size as the sparrow-hawk ; its prevailing colour is
spotted brown; and it is distinguished for that
stationary poise in the air which, in some parts of
England, has procured it the appellation of the
wind^^ver. It preys upon frogs, field mice,
lizards, &c^ upon which it darts from above. It
seems, however, to prefer birds, when it can pro-
cure them. I have seen it pounce upon larks ; I
have seen it pursue a wounded partridge, and I
have no doubt it would strike a small leveret.
Like the sparrow-hawk, the kestrel forms its

THX KSeT&XL. 71

nest in r«cks» loftjr riiiiis, and more frecjaeutly
perliaps vses the old nest of a mi^pie or a «row
fixr tke purpose of laringmg up its jovmg. It hf^
four or £^% ^gs— lai^ger than those of a psgeon,
more toibtiise, and of a imsky wlaj^ with (red s^ts.
^Die hawk tribe in general lay lai^e eggs^ of a
rois&der farm^ too, than these of any othea* bird«
whieh have faQem nudes* my notice.

The kestrel may be destroyed precisely in the
same manner as the sparrow-hawk. They ai*e
however, neither so hold nea* so swifik as that bird,
atnd are therefoire less destructiye amongst game.

Some years ago I picked up a young kestrel
which had fidleai oirt of the nest, which was in the
nxms of :a chapeL The biifd was welkfledged, but
not quite able to raise itself on the wiskg. I placed
it in a small room where it received its food ; but,
being suddenly called from home, the bird was
forgotten, and remained without food for four
days. I then presented a sparrow to him, which
he greedily devoured; nor did he, in fact, take
much paisns in plucking it, he iswaUc^Fcd most of
the featheiB, and all the bones. And it must be
here remao^Led, lihat hswks in general are not very
nioe in this reqpeot. When they wm&ow any in-
digestible BlibstaBces ifhey aore thrown iq» some
time afterwards, rolled together in the form of a
quid.

My kestrel bscame docile ; I gave him his full

72 THE gamekeeper's directoby.

liberty; lie flew about the premises, and would
come when called. He would eat bread when
very hungry, but preferred birds to any other kind
of food. I jJaced a young living partridge before
him, which he instantly seized, tore in pieces, and
devoured very greedily. I have frequently held a
small bird in my hand (a sparrow for instance),
and have been as often astonished at the dexterity
with which he flew and seized it. When supplied
with food, he never attempted to meddle with or
seize the small birds about the house and garden,
which had, in fact, grown familiar to him ; but
being neglected, he was constrained by hunger to
procure food. I observed him kill several small
birds ; he began to absent himself, and at length
flew quite away.

the white owl.

There is a great variety of the owl tribe to be
found in difterent parts of the world ; but the
white and the brown owl only are known as
natives of this country. All birds of the owl kind
have one common mark by which they are dis-
tinguished from others ; their eyes are formed for
seeing better in the dusk than in the broad glare
of daylight. As in the eyes of cats, there is a
quality in the retina that takes in the rays of light

THE WHITE OWL* 73

SO copiously as to permit their seeing in places
almost dark^ so in these birds there is the same
conformation of that organ ; and though they can-
not see in a total exclusion of lights yet they dis-
cover their prey with the utmost facility when
such objects are in no wise recognizable by human
vision. These birds^ no doubt^ see the best in
twilight or the dusk of the evening. The pupil of
the eye in owls is capable of opening very wide or
shutting very close ; by contracting the pupil the
brighter Hght of the day, which would act too
powerfully on the sensibility of the retina, is ex-
cluded ; by dilating the pupil the bard takes in
the more faint rays of the nighty and thereby is
enabled to spy its prey, and catch it with greater
facility in the dark ; besides this, there is an irra-
diation on the back of the eye, and the very iris
itself has a feculty of reflecting the rays of Ught,
so as to assist vision in the gloomy places where
these birds are found to frequent. Those nights
when t;^e moon shines are the times of their most
successful plunder.

The white or barn owl is well known in this
country ; it is called also the screech owl, from
the hideous hooting which it makes in winter,
particularly in severe frosty weather. The plum-
age of this bird is elegant. A circle of soft white
feathers surrounds each of the eyes* All the
upper parts of the body are of a fine pale yellow,

E

74 THE OAMEKEITPER^S DIRECTORY.

▼ariegated iri^ white spots ; and the xmd&t parts
ave eutirelj white. The leg» are leathered down
to the claws*

These hiri» frequent ruins^ bams, &e., where
they breed. They lay four or five eggs, and the
young are a very considerable time before they
are able to fly and provide for themselves.
During the night, while the young aa*e in
the nest, these birds (both the old and the yomx^
I imagine) exoit the most disagreeable saaorio^
noise I ever heard ; and those who have heard it
will not soon foi^et it.

In many places these white owls are protected
by the farmer, on account of their destroying
mice, to which if they confined their d^eeda-*
tions they would not have found a place in thus
little wfH'k ; but they prey indiscriminatoly upon
mice, birds, &;c., and at times find theiar way into
the dove-house, where th^ make getai havodk
among the young pigeons. In the ba'eedtng sea-
son they are destructive to game. Thisl^d quits
his hiding place in the twil^ht, and takea a regu-
lar circuit round the fields, skimming slowly and
silently along in search of food. Should any:
young partrid^& ccnne in its way they are sore to
suflfer.

They are very easily destic^ed^ When their
retrea4> is known they may eitheir be eaught or
«hx>t without difficulty, since they ajie to he found

THE BRaWX OR WOOD OWL. 75

at home during the day, which they will not leave
unless forced from it.

Though so stupid in appearance during day-
light, they are nevertheless a very fierce bird. I
kept one of these birds for several years. I pro-
cured him from the nest before he was half-
fledged, but experienced no difliculty in rearing
krm. Whenever, in the daylight, he was placed
in the middle of the room, he immediately made
for some dark comer, a strong light being evi-
dently disagreeable to him. I pinioned him
and placed him in a barn, where he con-
tinued, but never appeared susceptible of any
attachment. He passed the day in the darkest
recess he could find, in a sort of dull, moping
stupidity ; but on the near approach of evening
he sallied forth lively and active, and his manners
were evidently as fierce as any of the hawk tribe.
In seizing and carrying off his food he manifested
great strength. However, there is very little that
is interesting in what may be called a domestic
owl. He was ultimately killed by a ferret.

THE BROWN OR WOOD OWL.

This bard is about the sia^ of the white owl (a fool
in length), but much more destructive to game.

E 3

76 THE gamekeeper's directory.

It is brown^ spotted with black on the head^ wings^
and back.

This is a very fierce, rapacious, and destructive
bird, During the day it remains concealed in the
darkest and most gloomy recesses of the wood, in
the hollow of some old tree, or amongst ivy, which
is frequently found (in some parts of the country
at least) very thickly matted round the butts of
trees. On the approach of evening, when hares
and rabbits come out to feed, and about the time
when partridges are collecting together for the
night, this bird issues from its retreat, and destroys
an astonishing number of the young.of the animals
just mentioned. They will also enter the dove-
cote, particularly if it happen to be situated at a
short distance from the house, where they make
havoc amongst the young pigeons : they are not
scrupulous, however ; and therefore, if they do not
meet with young birds, they will seize the old
pigeons. I have known both the brown and the
white owl (at a period when these nocturnal de-
predatqrs had no young to attend) remain in the
pigeon-house after having gorged themselves with
their prey ; when they, like the hawk tribe, become
sleepy and inanimate : thus the owl takes up his
abode in the midst of the most delicious fare ; and
would remain, if unmolested, till not a single
pigeon, young or old, were left in the place. But
when the owl attempts in this way to take up his

THE BROWN, OR WOOD OWL. 77

abode, the circumstance becomes known imme-
diately fipom the consternation of the pigeons ;
and the plunderer is easily destroyed : he may
either be caught in the pigeon-house or forced out
and shot.

On examining a nest of the brown owl that had
in it two young ones, several pieces of young
rabbits, leverets, and other small animals were
found. The female owl and one of the young
birds were taken from the nest; the other was
left to entice the male bird, which was absent
when the nest was discovered. On the following
morning there were found in the nest no fewer
than three young rabbits, that had been brought
by the cock to the young one during the night.

The brown owl forms its nest, for the most part,
in the hollow trunk of an old tree, where it
deposits four or five large dusky-white elliptical
eggs. The young remain in the nest, if unmo-
lested, for a very considerable period.

As these birds are so destructive to game, their
nest ought to be diligently sought ; when the old
birds, as well as the nascent progeny, may be
easily destroyed : one of the old birds may fre-
quently be caught on the nest, and sometimes both
of them. These birds have very sharp strong
talons ; which they will not fail to use very vigo-
rously, as I have often experienced. They are
able to maintain their hold with these natural

fS TBE GAM£K££f£R^8 BlRECiXHlY.

.defences with astonkbing tenftcity^ as the fellow*
iiig anecdote will exemplify : — ^Being out shootaag,
I accidentally met widi one of these birds, which
I fired at and brought to the ground; it was
winged^ and had one leg fractured. I .had with
me a fine youaag black setter, two years old; and
the young dog^ seeing so strange a creature on the
ground^ was prompted by curiosity to approach it.
-By some means the owl contrived to get fast hold
of the dog's long coat with the talons of the leg
which remained unhurt — ^it inserted them near
the dog's hind quarters; which was no sooner
perceived by the dog than he moved forward^ and
finding he did not thus get rid of his unwelcome
customer^ he became terrified, took to his heek —
nor could all my calling and whistling induce him
to stop : on the contrary, he took a turn in the
tame field where I was standing ; when, setting
his head towards home, he made straight away,
howling and yelling as if a tin-kettle had been
fastened to his tail. The scene was laughable in
the highest degree ; arising, as it did, purely from
accident. It so happened that the dog's way
home was formed for the first three-quarters of a
mile by a gentile ascent, the fences being low,
which gave me a very good view of the business.
J was astonished at the manner in which the owl
kept its hold with one foot only t Fence after
fignce the dog passed through, and yet the bird

THE BIKOWX, Oft WOOO OWL. 79

eluog to him till fae had ran over several fidds ;
and wben at length the dog had got rid of the
object of his alarm his fears did not alt<^ether
subside : on the contrary, he made the best of his
way home, without once looking behind him !

Owls may be caught in traps ; but the gun is
preferable^ as they ale easily shot. Their de-
struction, however, is best ^ected at the breeding
season.

As owls are sddom seen abroad in the daytime,
and as it is generally known that their vision is
defective in a strong light, so, in some parts of the
country (in Leicestershire, for instance) a notion
is prevalent that when one of these birds happens
to be seen on the wing in the daytime, if he be
forced to fly against the sun he will be so dazzled
as to fall senseless, as it were, to the ground. An
old owl cannot be thus forced against tlie broad
glare of the sun, as I well know fix>m repeated
trials when a schoolboy; but if a young bird,
after it has left the nest, be observed in the open
fields in open day, it is no difficult matter to run
it down, whether the sun be shining or not. If
pursued on foot as fast as possible, it will not 8us*>
tain above two tar th|:ee short flights, each of whidi
will be shorts than the pi^eoeding; when it wifi
drop to the ground, And may be picked up with
the hand.

The brown owl is not general throughout th^

80 THE gamekeeper's DIRECTORY.

kingdom. I never saw one of these birds in Lan-
cashire^ or on the north-west coast of the kingdom .
I have seen them in Yorkshire^ as well as in manv
other parts of England ; they will be found most
numerous in the woody parts of the country*
They are also common in the Isle of Man.

As, however, there are few creatures that have
not some redeeming shade in their character, so it
may be observed of the brown owl* that it will
destroy field mice, and rats also ; as I once found
two rats, about half grown and partly eaten, in a
nest of these birds, lying by the side of the young.
The nest was formed in a deep and copious hollow
in the trunk of an old and decayed ash, situated
in a meadow near the village of Belton, in Leices-
tershire. It contained four young birds ; which,
with the assistance of the late Earl of Huntingdon
(then a boy), I contrived to reach and draw out
with a pair of tongs.

THE RAVEN.

This bird, though very well knoMrn, is not very
numerous in this kingdom, and is principally
found in the hilly and mountainous districts. It
i« frequently to be seen on the mo(»rs, as those

* In some parts of the country this bird is called the
wood-owk

THE BAVEX. 81

^vlio visit the grouse mountains are very weU
aware. It frequents the forests of this country :
I have often observed it in Chamwood^ in Sher-
wood, and in Delamere forests ; but I never saw
these birds so numerous as in the Highlands of
Scotland, where they share perhaps with the eagle
in the plunder of the hills.

The raven is an obscene bird; and, like the
vulture, is fond of carrion, upon which it will
greedily feed whenever opportunity offers. It may
be considered, however, and justly so, as a general
marauder, that will prey indiscriminately upon
whatever falls in its way. It will jdestroy rabbits,
leverets, young ducks, chickens, and young game
of all kinds : it will devour the eggs of partridges,
pheasants, and wild ducks. Nothing, in fact,
comes amiss to it; whether its prey be li^dng or
dead, it is all the same, the raven falls to with a
voracious appetite. In the northern regions it
preys in concert with the white bear, the wolf, the
fox, and the eagle: it eats shore fish and shell
fish; with the latter it soars into the air, and
drops them fipom on high to break the shell, and
thus to get at the contents.

The raven is very suspicious, and keeps from
the presence or contact of man, and on this account
he is not easily killed. These birds form their nests
in holes and upon ledges in the face of inaccessiUe
rocks, and also upon high trees, where they fix it

£ 3

^ THE GAMEI^EPEe's DIRECTORY.

mAer iq>on the top of the. butt or the fork« cf
/Ae strangest braoichefi ; ond^ if tnimolested^ ^Hll
-ammally use the saiue place for this pitrpose for
ages^ the rsirea beang jewrarfcuble for hmgevity^
and has been loiown, it is sud, to live for mcire
than (me hundred years*

The female lays four or five eggs of a, dusky
,green^ spotted with brown. She is attended by
the male during the period of incubation^ who not
only provides her with food^ but takes her place
when she lea;f es the nest.

When the nest of these birds happens to be
formed in a tree^ the eggs or young may be de*-
dstroyed without difficulty^ and the old birds €^ot
,aIao. JSut &e case is diffearent when the rav^i
chooses a rodk for the purpose of nestings as it is
^nerally so fixed in the face of it as to be quite
maccessible, except by means sdmilar to those
which are adopted by the inhabitants of St. Kilda
to come at the young ef sea*fowL

Very few in this co^itry will, however, think
the destruction of a raven^s nest worth so miu^
trouble and so mi3ch danger ; and after all it is
ten to one if they succeed in shooting the old
birds also, lliey may be traced in the same
manner as the kite or the buzzard. They may be
poisoned also ; but I must confess I am not fond
of the use of poison where it can be avoided*.

* See the article Poison.

THE AATBN* "88

lu some parts of England they are seldom seen^ and
are perhafM, afiiar bH, much more injivious to the
shepherd than the sportsman* They will pick out
the eyes of sheep wheneir^ an o]n[K>rtaiuty offers,
such as the she^p being held by its wool by a briar
or other thing ; and they also destroy young and
weakly Iambs.

Wh^ the raven is taken young and domes*
ticated, he becomes very fiuniliar, and possesses
many qualities that rc»der him highly amusing.
Busy, inquisitive, and impudent, he goes ev^ly*
where ; affix>nts and drives off the dogs, plays his
tricky on the poultry, and is particularly assiduous
in cultivating the goodwill of the cook, who is
generally his favourite in the fiEimily. He is a
glutton by nature, and a thief by habit. He does
not confine himself to p^ty depredations on the
pantry or the larder ; he aims at more magnificent
plunder — at spoils that he can neither exhibit nor
enjoy, but which, tike a miser, he rests satisfied
in having the satisfaction of sometimes visiting
and cbntediplating in secret. A piece of money,
a tea-spoon, or a ring, is always a tempting bait
to his avarice : these he will slily seize upon, and,
if not watdied, will carry to his fiivourite hole.
A gentleman'is butler having missed many silv^
spoons iEtnd other, articles, without being able to
account for the mode in which they disappeared.
Jit last observed a tame raven that was kept about

84 THE GAMEKEEPEft's DIRECTORY.

the house with one in his mouth ; and^ on watch"
ing him to his hiding-place^ discovered there
upwards of a dozen more*

The raven^ when brought up in a domestic
state^ will imitate the human voice better than
any other of the feathered creation which breeds
in this country ; nor is this all^ as it will imitate
the voice- of animals^ and in these respects is fairly
entitled to be ranked next the parrot. A car-
penter^ at the village of Sheepshead in Leicester-*
shire^ kept a tame raven which would imitate not
only the human voice^ but also the snarUng,,
growling^ and barking of the yard dog; it would,
moreover^ run alter children which came into the
yard, bark at them> and bite them very severely.
A tame raven^ indeed, ought never to be kept
where there are children*

THE CARRION CROW.

This bird may be regarded as a smaller kind of
raveUj as it is similar in colour, in form^ manners,
and habits; but not much above half the size.
The carrion crow is well known all over the king-
dom. These birds live chiefly in pairs, form their
nests in trees in the woods, and also in trees
situated in the hedgerows* The female lays four
or five eggs, like those of the raven, but smaller ;

THE CARRION CROW, 85

and, like that bird, is fed by the male while sit-
ting. These crows feed on putrid flesh or fish, as
well as on worms, insects, and various kinds of
grain. They will, like the raven, pick out the
eyes of sheep or lambs ; and, as they are much
more numerous, they consequently do much more
mischief. They will kill and devour young rabbits,
young hares, and young winged game. During
the time that game is breeding they are for ever
on the look*out for the nests of the partridge and
the pheasant ; the latter of which are frequently
destroyed by them, as the pheasant does not, like
the partridge, cover the eggs when she leaves the
nest. The nest of the wild duck also they will
rob if they can find it. Further, I have known
these birds to destroy the eggs of a turkey which
happened to be sitting at a short distance from
the house.

Chickens and yoimg ducks do not always
escape their attacks. On the northern coast of
Ireland, a friend of Dr. Darwin's saw above a
hundred crows preying upon muscles : each crow
took a muscle up into the air; and letting it fall,
the shell either broke or opened, and the bird
thus obtained the prize.

There are at present more of these birds bred
in England than in any other country of Europe.
In the reign of Henry VIII. carrion crows had
become so numerous, and were thought so preju-

-86 THE GAMEKEEPER^S DIRECTORY.

dicial to the £armer^ tbat they were considered an
evil worthy of parliiamentary redress ; and an act
was passed for their destruction, in which also the
rook and the jackdaw yrere included. Every
hamlet was ordered to destroy a certnin numb^
of crowds nests for ten successive years ; and the
inhabitants were compelled to assemble at stated
times during that period, in order to consult on
the most proper and effectual means of extirpating
them.

The following fure singular modes adopted in
some countries for catching these birds : A living
crow is fastened on its back firmly to the ground,
by means of a brace on each side at the origin of
the wings. In this painful position the animal
stru^les and screams ; the rest of its species flock
to its cries from all quarters, with the intention
probably of affording relief; thus presenting an
opportunity of firing at a number of them.

Crows are also caught with cones of paper
.baited with raw flesh : as the bird introduces his
head to devour the bait, which is near the bottom,
the paper, being smeared with bird-lime, sticks to
the feathers of the neck, and he thus becomes
hooded. Unable to get rid of the paper, which
covers his eyes, the crow rises aknost perpendicu-
larly into the air, till, quite exhausted, he sinks
down near the spot whence he rose, and is taken.

If a crow be put into a cage, and exposed in the

THE 100&. 87

fields^ bis calk genearaUy attract tlie atte&tioii of
others tliat are iu the nei^bourhood, which flock
round their imprisoaed brother ; and thus a shot
is affi>rded at a numbw oi them. Strong bird*
lime tifigs may be laid for them, at such a period,
round the cage.

The carrion crow may be trapped, like the hawk
or the raven. These birds are best destroyed
during the breeding season, when the old birds
may be shot, and the eggs or young taken. They
may also, as well as all y^min, be destroyed by
poison. — See the article Poison.

Willoughby says the carrion crow may be
taught to articulate seyeral words with tolerable
distinctness.

THE BOOK.

This bird is about the size of the carrion crow,
but its plumage is more glossy. It also differs in
having its nostrils and the roots of the bill naked;
in the carrion crow these are covered with hard
bristly feathers. It is not quite so carnivorously
indined as the carrion crow ; but it will, never-
theless, feed on putrid carcases when more choice
food cannot be obtained ; and it is very destruc-
tive to game. As it is not so generally destroyed
as the carrion crow, it is consequently much more

1

88 "THE gamekeeper's directory.

numerous ; and its depredations upon the eggs of
game are consequently mucli greater. If the
mowing season happen at an early period^ and
thus expose the eggs of the partridge or pheasant,
they are almost sure to be devoured. They can
see the eggs on the ground from a very consider-
able height ; and if they perceive the partridge or
the pheasant on the nest^ it is ten to one if they
wait till she leaves it. I have seen two or three
rooks approach the nest of a partridge together ;
and, after driving off the sitting bird, have fought
stout battles amongst themselves for the eggs.

The rook is less inclined to seize leverets, young
rabbits, or the young of winged game, perhaps,
than the carrion crow ; but is not to be trusted in
this respect. Those who keep rookeries, there-
fore, may fairly calculate on having game de-
stroyed by these birds ; and, as they take extensive
flights, so the game of the neighbourhood will not
fail to suffer.

lu regard to the farmer, the question of the
good or the evil of rooks seems by no means de-
cided. They devour many grubs, &c., &c. ; they
destroy much com also. About the time that
oats and barley are sown, rooks are feeding their
young ; and as they have generally four or five to
provide for, and these everlastingly craving for
food, the old birds are kept very busily employed.
On these occasions they will be observed to visit

^

THE ROOK. 89

fields newly sown ; and at such times I have re-
peatedly shot one of them as he flew on his way
back to feed his young. It must here be observed
that the rook is able to carry a considerable
quantity of food at one time by means of a kind
of bag situated at the base of the bill^ and which
is not observable except when thus distended.
When the rook has filled this receptacle or bag it
is easily seen at a distance^ whenever, at least, the
bird is within gun-shot. This may be justly re-
garded as a distinctive peculiarity in the rook,
which has not been sufficiently pointed out by
naturalists, or those who have written on the
subject.

But to return. I have found the bag in ques-
tion filled with various kinds of grubs, together
with a quantity of oats or barley, as the field
which they visited happened to be sown with
either the one or the other. In fields planted
with potatoes these birds wiU dig up the sets; and
they will also make havoc amongst ripening corn,
as well as after it is cut. In fact the rook is,
after all, a general plunderer ; whose good quali-
ties, I am inclined to think, are overbalanced by
his mischievous propensities. At all events, he is
the most destructive bird of all others to the eggs
of game, and indeed to any other eggs which he
is able to discover ; because, as he is a kind of
privileged being, and much more numerous than

90 THE GAMEKEEPC&^S DIRECTORY.

either tbe canion crow or any of the egg slickers^
his havoc consequently ia more extenaiye. Books,
however> take alarm at the «^tt of a gun ; the
use of which thev seem to understand. A con-
sciousness of danger from mankind is much more
apparent in the rook than in most other Imrds ;
and many of the country people are of opinion
that they can smell gimpou>derI Their olfactory
organs may be acute enough; but it is the sight
of the gun, and not the smell of the powder,
which alarms them. — ^See the article Hereditary
Instinct.

The rook is a gregarious bird ; and seems to be
fond not only of the society of his own species^
but admits others of the feathered tribes into his
community. Thus we frequently see the jackdaw
and starling in his company; to the latter of
which he forms a protector. I saw a starling, in
the autumn of the year 1824, pursued by a hawk.
The race was highly interesting. The starling
made the best of its way towards a great number
of rooks that were flying in a sort of circles in
the air, s<areaming all the way^ the hawk vigorously
pursuing; the one struggling for life, the other
eager for a supper. . The hawk gained upon his
intended victim, and for a second or two it was
doubtful whether the starling would be able to
reach tlie sanctuary, for which it was. straining to
the utmost. It accomplished the object, how*-

>

THE KOOK* 91

ever ; and the tynnt of the air no sooner saw it
«iter the drde of its numerons and strong fea«
-diered fidends than it gave up the pnrsnit. I
iras much pleased with the termination of the
business.

The rook pursues and beats o£f the kiie^ the
buzzard, and the hawk tribe in general. It some-
times, however, suffers fcwr its temerity. In the
year 1812, in the winter season, I observed a
rook teazing and buffeting a large hawk ; and the
latter, from its size and manner, I took to be one
of the falcon . tribe, which, during i^inter, are
sometimes seen in this country. The hawk bore
the annoyance of his sable insulter for some time;
but at length the latter fell to the ground, where
he remained till I reached the spot; when I found
tiie hawk had deprived him of one of his eyes,
which was completely struck out ; and though the
bird did not appear otherwise injured, yet he was
unable to fly.

Although the rook and the jackdaw are uni-
formly on the best terms of friendship, the case is
widely different as relates to the raven, against
which the rook appears to entertain an inveterate
antipathy ; and, indeed, not without cause, as the
former will not hesitate to seize the young rooks
in the nest fen* the purpose of feeding its young,
Mr. Markwiek says that, in die year 1778, as
soon as a raven had built her nest in a tree ad-

}

92 THE GAMEKEEPER^S DIRECTORY.

joining to a very nmneroiis rookery, all the rooks
immediately forsook the spot. Something similar
occurred at Mr. Seymer^s, at Harford, in Dorset-
shire : the rooks did not quit the place ; but there
was " no peace in the rookery night nor day till
one of the old ravens was killed and the nest
destroyed.'.^

Rooks build in March, or earlier, as the season
happens to be mild or otherwise; and, after the
breeding season is over, forsake the nesting trees,
and for some time roost elsewhere; but they
return periodically during the year.

These birds generally resort to some distant
part in search of food during the day, but return
regularly every evening to their roosting trees in
vast :flights; where, after flying round for some
time, with much noise and clamour, they take up
their abode for the night.

Rooks may be destroyed in the same manner
as carrion crows.

Some years ago, in two groves belonging to
Daniel Wilson, Esq., Dalham Tower, Westmore-
land, there were a rookery and a heronry ; and
for a number of years the rooks and herons had
thus continued near neighbours and lived very
peaceably. At length, in the spring of 1775,
the trees of the heronry were cut down, when the
herons endeavoured to effect a settlement in the
xookery* The rooks opposed the invasion of their

THE HOOD£D^ OK ROYSTON CHOW. 93

territories ; and desperate battles ensued in con-
sequence. Many of the rooks were killed, and
some of the herons lost their lives ; but the latter
at last succeeded in obtaining possession of some
of the trees, and harmony was restored between
the two communities.

THE HOODED, OR ROYSTON CROW.

This bird is called also, in some parts, the ash-
coloured crow. The breast, belly, back, and upper
part of the neck, is of a pale ash colour ; the head
and wings glossed over with a fine blue. He is
about the size of the rook and the carrion crow,
and his manners and habits are similar to those
of the latter ; but as he only visits this country in
winter, and not in great numbers, his depreda-
tions, amongst game at least, cannot be extensive.
These birds are very common in the Highlands of
Scotland, where they breed, and where they are
to be seen all the year ; and it would appear as if
they only left these hilly and rugged regions to
visit the more southern parts in search of food, as
they uniformly return on the approach of spring,
or sooner if the weather becomes mild.

As they seek their food, and feed upon the same
materials as the carrion crow, they may be de-
stroyed in the same manner.

94 THE gamekeeper's directory.

In the month of December^ 1830, being* upon
the low lands^ not far from the sea^ about fifte^i
miles from Liverpool, I observed three of these
crows hovering strangely in the air about thirty
feet from the ground, and at length a partridge
rose, screaming loudly, and was pursued by these
birds ; but being swifter on the wing than its foes,
gained the cover of some strong bushes, beneath
which it concealed itself. The crows soon reached
the place, and each took its station on small adja-
cent trees, evidently waiting for their prey. They
flew away on my near approach, after having con-
tinued to watch for twenty minutes ; or I hare no
doubt they would ultimately have killed and de-
voured the partridge. Carrion crows and ravenst
will do the same when opportunity oflTers.

THE JACKUAW.

This bird is smaller than the rook ; of the same
colour, except about the head, where the feathers
are paler, or ash-coloured. His head is very large
for his size ; and he is a very busy, inquisitive,
and artful bird.

Jackdaws fireqnent church steeples, old towers,
and ruins; where they form their nests. They
also build in hollow trees, near to rookeries ; and
very frequently join the rooks in their foragiiiig

THE JACKDAW. 95

parties. Like tlie rook, they will destroy the
eggs of game ; but I am not aware that tkey ever
strike or seize on. young partridges, though this is
not unlikely, should they happen to fall in their
way.

A gentleman who '^ was walking with his fi'iend
in the Inner Temple Garden, about the middle of
May, 1802, observed a jackdaw hovering in a very
unusual manner, over the Thames. A barrel was
floating near the plaee — a buoy to a net that some
fishermen were hauling ; and we at first thought
the bird was about to alight upon it. This,, how-
ever, proved a mistake; for he descended to the
surface of the water, and fluttered for a few
seconds with his bill and feet immersed ; he then
rose, flew to a little distance, and did the same ;
after which he made a short circuit, and alighted
on a barge about fifty yards fi*om the garden,
where he devoured a small fish. When this was
done, he made a third attempt, caught another,
and flew off with it in his moutk.^^

These birds feed principally on worms and the
grubs of insects ; like the rook, also, they will eat
grain. They may be destroyed in the breeding
season, or trajq^d at other periods; and caught
in the same manner as the earrioa crow or the
hawk.

Jackdaws are easily tamed, when taken young ;
and maybe taught to pronounce several wcnrds.

1

96 THE GAMEKEEFER^S DIRECTORY.

When domesticated^ however, they become, like
the rayen, very great thieves ) and, like that bird,
are fond of carrying off and concealing silver
spoons, pieces of money, &c.

THE MAGPIE.

This bird, like the jackdaw, may be taught to
articulate words. In this respect, however, its
powers are far superior to those of that bird. It
is, at the same time, as great a thief, and, in a
wild state, far more destructive to game. It is
known by various local appellations. Thus, the
country people of Lancashire call it the pianet ;
while in Derbyshire, the adjoining county, it is
known by the name of the chatterpie.

In form and plumage the magpie is an elegant
bird : it feeds on almost all substances, animal as
well as vegetable. It forms its nest with great
art ; leaving a hole in the side for admittance, and
covering the whole upper part with a texture of
thorny twigs, so closely and strongly interwoven
as to bid defiance to attack. The lower part of
the nest is externally formed of thorny twigs, but
these firmly cemented together by clay, and the
interior well lined with soft twigs, bents of grass,
&c. ; on which the eggs, from six to eight or nine
in number, are deposited. The situation chosen

THE MAGPIE. 97

for the nest is either in trees or hedges; it is
found in the highest trees of the wood^ and also
in strong thorn hedges.

Although the magpie is too well known to need
a particular description^ it may be remarked that
its blacky its white^ its green^ and purple^ with the
rich and gilded combination of glosses on its tail^
are as fine as any that adorn the most beautiful
of the feathered tribe. At the same time it is
Tain^ restless^ noisy^ and quarrelsome ; it is an
unwelcome intruder everywhere, and never misses
an opportunity of doing mischief. A wounded
lark^ or a young chicken separated from the hen,
are sure plunder ; and the magpie will even some-
times strike the blackbird or the thrush. They
may be often seen perched on the back of an ox
or a sheep, picking up the insects to be found
there, chattering, and tormenting the poor animal;
and if a sheep happens to be held fast in a briar,
the bird will seldom fail to pick out its eyes.
They seek the nests of the smaller birds ; and, if
the parent escapes, the eggs make up for the defi-
ciency. The thrush and the blackbird are but
too frequently robbed by this assassin; and they
make great havoc among the eggs of game, and
will also seize young partridges. I have little
doubt that it wUl kill young rabbits and small
leverets. In short, it may be remarked that no
food comes amiss to this bird; it shares with

F

n

98 THE GAMEK££P£r's DIRECTORY.

ravcus in their canioii, with ro(^s in their grain^
and with the cuckoo in birds^ ^gs. Bat it seems
possessed of a providence not usual with gluttons;
lis^ when it is satisfied for the present^ it lays up
the remainder of the feast for anotb^ oecasion.

The magpie may be trapped or poisoned (see
Trapping — Poisoning). Fains should, however,
be taken to destroy the nests of these birds ; and
the old birds should be killed at the same time, if
possible. One or both the old birds may be
caught in the nest with lime twigs. The gun
may also be used if necessary.

THE JAY.

This is perhaps the most beautiful of British
birds. Its dehcate danamon^colouted back and
breast, with blue wing coverts, barred with black
and white, are extremely handsome. On its fore-
head it has a tuft of whitish feathers, streaked
with black, which it has the power of erecting or
depressing at pleasure. Its voice, however, is
harsh, grating, and disagreeable. In a domestic
state it will, like the magpie, articulate a number
of words, as well as imitate a variety of sounds.

The jay builds an artless nest in our woods, at
no very great hdght from the ground, in which it
generally d^osits six eggs. It feeds on acorns.

TUK GULL. 99

seeds^ and fruits of all kinds ; and will destroy the
eggs of game. Its depredations^ howBYer^ are
neither so general nor so extensive as those of the
magpie ; and, if its destruction be thought neces-
sary, it may be easily trapped or poisoned, or
destroyed in the breeding season.

THE STARLING

Is well known all over the kingdom. It is a
busy, active, prolific little bird ; which, however,
is accused of entering the dovecote and destroying
the eggs of the pigeons. It certainly possesses a
very voracious appetite ; and although no instance
of its destroying the eggs of game has ever fallen
under my cognisance, yet, if it be true that it will
destroy the eggs of the pigeon, and even their
young, it would scarcely hesitate to destroy those
of the partridge and the pheasant also. The
principal food of the starling, however, consists of
saaiU, worms, and insects ; and in this respect it
is beneficial to the &rmei\

TH£ GULL

Is not offcen seen in the interior parts of the king^
dom; but in the neighboarhood of the coast it is.

f2

ry

00200

100 THE gamekeeper's dibectobt.

observed^ with a slow flighty hovering over rivers
to prey upon the small kinds of fish. It is se^a
following the ploughman to pick up worms. It
will devour carrion^ garbage of any kind ; and^
indeed^ any animal substance. It is extremely
voracious; and will destroy eggs of any kind
when they fall in its way.

THE HEBON.

Of all birds that are known^ this is one of the
most formidable enemies of the scaly tribes.
There is, in fresh water, scarcely a fish, however
large, that the heron will not strike at and
wound, though unable to carry it off; but the
small fry are his chief subsistence : these, pursued
by their larger fellows of the deep, are obliged to
take refuge in shallow water, where they find the
heron a more voracious and more formidable
enemy. His method is to wade as far as he can
into the water, and there patiently await the ap-
proach of his prey ; into which he <larts his bill
with unerring aim, the moment it comes within
his reach. Willoughby says that he has seen a
heron that had no less than seventeen carp in his
belly at once. These he would digest in six or
seven hours, and then go to fishing again. '' I
have seen a carp,^' he continues, ^' taken out of a

THE HERON. 101

heron^s belly nine inches and a-half long. Some
gentlemen who kept some herons, to try what
quantity one of them would eat in a day, have put
several small roach and dace in a tub : and thev
have found him eat fifty in a day, one day with
another. In this manner, a single heron will
destroy upwards of eighteen thousand store carp
in a single year.^'

The iieron, though he usually takes his prey by
wading into the water, frequently also catches it
while on the wing; but this is only in shallow
water, where he is able to dart with more certainty
than in the deeps : for in this case, though the
fish does at the first sight of its enemy descend,
yet the heron with his long bill and legs in-
stantly pins it to the bottom, and thus seizes it
securely. In this manner, after having been seen
with its long neck under water for the space of a
minute, he will rise upon the wing with a tix)ut
or an eel struggling in his bill. The greedy bird,
however, flies to the shore, scarcely gives it time
to expire, but swallows it whole, and then returns
again to fishing.

The heron, like many other birds, has various
local names. In some places it is called the
crane, as in Leicestershire, for instance : in Kent
it is distinguished by the name of the hem ; in
Lancashire, the long-neck. I have repeatedly
watched this very shy and suspicious bird. I had

^

]02 THE gamekeeper's DIRECTORY.

«everal times^ as I passed through Knowsiey Park
(beloDging to the Earl of Derby), observed a
Jieron on a large sheet of water ; which, however,
would uot allow me to approach snificientty ne»r
to satisfy my curiosity, though I was not armed
with a gnu, nor had I the least design on tlie life
of the bird. Late one afternoon, in the autumn
of 1829, in riding past the same place I observed
my old acquaintance stationed nearly beHy deep
ill the sheet of water before-mentioned. Intent
upon his business, with his head turned on one
side, as if the better to mark the approach of his
prey, he allowed me to advance nearer than usuaL
It was not long before he sti*uck and brought up
a fish about six or seven inches long ; he held it
crosswise in his bill for a second, having no doubt
seized it in that manner ; he then, with a sort of
toss or jerk of his head, completely altered its
position — he thus placed it longitudinally in his
bill, the head being nearest his throat, .and swal-
lowed it instantly.

The different parts of the structure of a heron
are admirably adapted to its mode of life. It has
long legs for the purpose of wading ; a long neck,
answerable to these, to reach its prey in the
water ; and a wide throat to swallow it. Its toes
are long, and armed with strong hooked talons ;
one of which is serrated on the edge, the better to
retain the fish. The bill is long and sharp, having

r

THE HEEON. 108

serriitiires towards the pointy which stand back*
wards; these^ after the prey is struck, act like
the barbs of a fish*hook^ in detaining it till the
bird has time to seize it with the clawa. Its large,
broad, concave, and apparently heavy wings for
so small a body, are of great use in enabling it to
carry its load to the nest, which is sometimes at a
great distance. Dr. Derham tells us that he has
seen lying scattered under the trees of a large
heronry, fishes many inches in length, which must
have been conveyed by the birds from the distance
of several miles; and D^Acre Barret, Esq^ the
o^vner of this heronry, saw a large eel tliat had
been conveyed thither by one of them, notwith-
standing the inconvenience it must have experi-
enced from the fish writhing and twisting about.

The body of the heron, like that of the owl, is
very small and always lean ; and the skin is said
to be scarcely thicker than gold-beater*s skin. It
is veiy probable that this bird is capable of long
abstinence, as its usual food cannot be had at all
times.

Though the heron is for the most part a soli-
tary bird, yet in the breeding season they unite in
large societies, and build in high trees. The nest
is made of sticks, the thickest of which form the
outside. The eggs are four or five in number, and
of a dirty blue colour.

Since the decline of hawking herons have been

"1

104 THE gamekeeper's DIRECTORY.

much reduced in number; heron hawking was
formerly a &yourite diversiou in this kingdom^
and a penalty of twenty shillings was incurred by
any person taking the eggs of this bird ; and^
what may appear singular enough, its flesh in for-
mer times was much esteemed^ being valued at
an equal rate with that of the peacock.

These birds may be tamed without difficulty
when taken young, but when the old birds are
captured they become sulky and will not feed. A
friend of mine winged an old heron ; he took it
home ; it refused to eat ; he forced food down its
throat for several days, when it at length became
familiar, took what was offered to it, continued
about the premises several years, and was at last
accidentally killed.

There are few heronries remaining in England ;
for as the diversion of heron hawking has given
place to more modem, and certainly much supe-
rior diversion, the heron has lost that protection
which it formerly received from man. It is driven
from the immediate neighbourhood of the man-
sions of the great, where in the heronry it for-
merly reared its young in security. A solitary
nest will occasionally be found at the present day
in the neighboinrhood of some marsh, which is
generally robbed by the schoolboy before the
young are hatched.

The heron is one of the most wary and suspi-r

r

THE HBBON. 105

cious creatures in nature : aware that it is the ob-
ject of general persecution^ it seems for ever on
the watch, in order to avoid the approach of its
enemies, as well as to supply the cravings of its
appetite, which, by the bye, seem ahnost insatia-
ble. It is, therefore, very difficult to approach it
within gunshot. If accidentally met with and shot
by the sportsman, he should be careful how he
suffers his dog to approach it, as if not completely
killed or entirely disabled, it will be apt to strike
out one or both the eyes of the dog with its ter-
rific bill.

The depredations of the heron are entirely con-
fined to the fish pond, and amongst the scaly
tribes it is more destructive than^the otter. The
most obvious means which are presented to the
mind for the destruction of this^bird are fire arms ;
and, indeed, if it can be approached sufficiently
near, it is very easily shot, being a large object,
and having more difficulty than almost^any other
bird in getting on the wing. If not disturbed,
the heron is a bird of regular habits,** and will
visit the same pond or pit while there are any fish
to be obtained. If under such circumstances con-
cealment be attainable, it is of course easily de-
stroyed.

The heron may be hooked in the following
manner : — Having discovered his haunt, procure
three or four small roaches or dace, and three or

r 3

106 THE gamekeeper's DIRECTORY,

four stitMig hooka with vfite to them ; ciraw the
wire just within tiie skin of the said fish^ bc^n-
ning outside the gills and running it to the tail^
and then the fish will live four or five days. If
the fish be dead the heron will perhaps not take
him^ unless pressed by hujiger. A strong line of
silk and wire should be attached^ about two yards
and a half long (if wire be not twisted with the
silk the bird will bite it in two), and tie a stone
about a pound weight to the line ; but place not
the hooks so deep in the water that the heron can-
not wade to them. Tliis method seldom fails.
The line should be coloured dark green.

For further instructions on this head, we refer
the reader to the article trappixo.

Like all other winged vermin, the nests of these
birds should be sought and destroyed.

THE COOT AND WAITER HEX.

The two first of these birds are accused by some
persons of feeding upon fish, but I think unjustly.
They are found ainongst the sedges of ponds and
rivers^ and their principal food consists of insects
and vegetable substances which they find amongst
them>

The water-hen is quarrelsome in the breeding
season, and wiD not suffer any birds it can master

THE OTTER. 107

to come near its nest. Should partridges nestle
near its abode it will not fail to attack and drive
them away.

OF WATER BIRDS IN GENERAL.

Or these birds in general, the greater part only
visit us on the approach of winter, and remain
during the rigour of that season. As a dainty for
the table they become au object of pursuit ; but
in i*egard to the depredations upon the finny tribes
it amounts to nothing worth consideration in this
place. The gun is the instrument generally used
for the capture of them ; but as there are other
means of taking them, we refer the reader to the
article trapfino, &c., where he will find those
means pointed out and explained, with every re*
quisite instruction.

the otter,

This creature seems to form that link in the chain
of gradation which unites terrestrial and aquatic
ammais, and is uncommonly destructive among
iish ; it presents the form of the quadruped, but
resembles aquatic animals, in being able not only
to swim with great speed, but also in possessing

108 THE OAMEKEEPEK^S DIRECTORY.

the power of remaining for a considerable length
of time under water. The otter^ however, pro-
perly speaking, is not amphibious; he is not
formed for continuing in the water, since, like
other terrestrial creatures, he requires the aid of
respiration ; also, if in pursuit of prey, he gets en-
tangled in a net, and has not time to cut with his
teeth a sufficient number of meshes to effect hia
escape, he is drowned.

The usual length of the otter from the tip of
the nose to the base of the tail is twenty-three
inches, of the tail itself (which is broad at its in-
sertion and tapers to a point) sixteen ; but one,
drowned by being entangled in a fisherman's net
near Bath, in 1805, measured, if we are to believe
the account (which appears more than suspicious),
upwards oi six feet ! The weight of the male is
from eighteen to twenty-six pounds ; that of the
female from thirteen to twenty-two pounds. The
head and nose are broad and flat ; the eyes are
brilliant, though small, placed nearer the nose than
is usual in quadrupeds, and situated in such a
manner as to discern every object that is above,
which gives the otter a singular aspect, somewhat
resembling the eel : but this property of seeing
what is above gives it a particular advantage
when lurking at the bottom for its pvey, a& the
fish cannot discern any object under them, and
the otter, seizing them from beneath by the belly.

THE OTTEU. 109

Teadilv takes anv number with little exertion.
The ears are extremely short, and their orifice
narrow ; the opening of the mouth is small, the
lips are capable of being brought very close toge-
ther, somewhat resembling the mouth of a fisb,
are very muscular, and designed to close the
mouth firmly while in the action of diving, and
the nose and comers of the mouth are fur-
nished with long whiskei*s. This animal has^
twenty-six teeth, six cutting and two canine above
and below ; of the former the middlemost are the
least. It has besides five grinders on each side in
both jaws. The legs are very short, but remarka^
bly broad and muscular, the joints articulated so-
loosely that the otter can turn them quite back^
bring them in a line with its body, and use them
as fins; each foot has five toes, connected by
strong webs, like those of water fowl. Thus
nature in every particular has attended to the way
of life allotted to an animal whose food is fish, and
whose haunts must necessarily be about the
waters. The otter has no heel, but a round ball
under the sole of the foot, by which its footmark
is easily distinguished, and this is termed the seal.
The general shape of the otter is somewhat similar
to that of an overgrown weasel ; its colour is en-
tirely a deep brown, except two small spots of
white on each side of the nose, and one under
the chin.

110 THE GAMEK££P£R^S DIRECTORY.

The otter shows great sagacity in forming its
abode^ burrowing under the ground on the banks
of some river or lake, and generally making the
entrance of its hole under water, working upwards
towards the surface of the earth, and forming
several holts or lodges, that in case of high floods
it may have a retreat (for no animal is more care-
ful to repose in a dry place), and there making a
minute orifice for the admission of air ; and even
this aperture, for greater concealment, is fre-
quently made in the middle of some thick bush.
Sometimes its retreat is made in the hollow trunk,
or upon the top, of a willow pollard that leans
over the water. The otter is very cleanly, depo^
siting its excrements, or sp^aints, in particular
spots. Upon the least alarm, it flies to the water,
whei*e, by its rapidity in swimming and diving, it
generally escapes from its pursuers.

In rivers the otter is always observed to swim
jigainst the stream to meet its prey ; and, in very
hard weather, when its natural food fails, the otter
%vill kill lambs, suckiug pigs, and poultry ; and
one was caught in a warren, where it had come, it
was supposed, to prey on rabbits. The otter will
also devour vegetables of different kinds, and
gnaV the bark and twigs of young trees.

As the otter frequents ponds near gentlemen's
houses, litters of young have been found in cellars,
soiighs, and drains. The cubs have been known

Ji

I

THE OTTEK. Ill

-to liavc been suckled and brought up by a bitch ;
near South Molton, in Devonshire, this happened,
and the young otter followed his master with the
dogs, but seemed to have no inclination for the
irater.

There arc many instances of the otter being
tamed when taken young, and becoiping so domes-
ticated as to follow their master, answer to a
name, aud to employ their talents in fishing for
him.

William ColUs, of Kemmerston, near Wooler,
Northumberland, had a tame otter which always
4ittended him, would fish in the river, and when
satiated return to him. In Cellists absence, his
son took the otter out to fish ; but it did not
answer the boy^s call, and ii^^as lost. The father
being near the place where it was lost, after seve-
ral days' search and calling by its name, it came
<5reeping to his feet, and showed many marks of
firm attachment.

When properly taught, the tame otter will
bring the fish which it catches to its master, and
immediately dive for more.

The most curious instance of the otter^s being
tamed is that where a person suffered it to follow
him with his dogs, with which he used to hunt
other otters ; and it was remarkable that so far
were the dogs from molesting it, that they would
not even hunt an otter while it remained

112 THE GAMEKEEPEB^S DIRECTORY.

with them. Upon this account^ although the
otter was useful in fishing and in driving trout
and other fish towards the nets^ the owner was
obliged to dispose of it.

The manner of rearing otters to become domes-
tic is to procure them as young as possible^ and
to carefully feed them at first with small fish and
water ; as they gain strength^ milk is to be mixed
with their food^ the quantity of their fish provision
lessened^ and that of bread and vegetables in-
creased^ until at length they may be fed^ if neces-
sary^ wholly upon bread. The mode of training
them to hunt for fish requires both patience and
assiduity. They are first taught to fetch and
carry in the same manner as dogs are instructed ;
but, not possessing the same sagacity or docility,
the operation of teaching them is rendered much
more tedious and perplexing. It should be per-
formed by accustoming them to take a truss
made of leather and stuffed with wool, in the
shape of a fish, into their mouth, and to drop it
wlien ordered ; to run after it when throTin foi'-
ward, and bring it to their master. From this
the process is to real fish, which are thrown dead
into the water, and which they are taught to fetch
to shore. In a short time living fish are made
use of instead of dead ones, till at length the edu-
cation of the animal becomes complete, and he
readily obeys his master. Tedious as the process

THE OTTER. 113

is^ the labour is amply repaid^ as an otter thus
taught will catch fish not only for its own use^ but
to sustain a whole family.

The otter is veiy destructive in a fish pond or
river^ and will at times kill more than he can
devour. If fish be plentiful he will devour only
the choicer parts^ and on such occasions many
fragments will be found about his lodging.

Otter hunting was once much followed in this
country; and, although it has for many years
been much on the decline, it is not altogether ex-
tinct. It is, however, but a sort of apology for
diversion; it always appeared to me something
like a superior duck hunt,

Where waters are infested with this animal he
may be taken by means of a large steel trap, but
very often not without some difliculty. His haunts
may be easily ascertained by his seal (the print of
his foot), as also by his spraints (excrement),,
which will be voided on large stones, and other
similar eminences. The trap (or traps, as more
than one may be used) should be placed in hi»
track if possible, so that he may walk over it, and
a bait may not be necessary. If, however, a bait
be placed for him (a fish, for instance), it should
not be placed upon the bridge of the trap, but so
that he walks over the trap to get at it. The
trap should be slightly buried, and the mould
or sand so scattered over it that it may appear as

114 THE GAMEKEEPBr's DIRECTORY.

like the 8urix)uading earth as possible; at the
same time the bait should be fastened so as to
cause the otter a tug or two to disengage it, and
while he is in the act of tugging he should stand,
as it were, upon the trap, in which case he is sure
to be taken. Again I must refer to the article

TRAPPING.

The otter may be shot if a good look out be
kept for him. This animal possesses uncommon
strength in his jaws; he bites very fiercely, and
clings to his hold Avith the utmost tenacity.

TRAPPING.

In the course of the preceding pages mention has
been repeatedly made, under the Tarious articles,
of the modes of catching vermin, both birds and
quadrupeds, by traps ; I now come to speak of
trapping in a general sense, yet it is directly ap-
plicable to every individual case. The present
chapter, therefore, merits the particular attention
of those who wish to acquire a knowledge of it,
since it will be found to explain, describe, and
simplify the very art and mystery of the whole
business. In the first place, whatever animal it
is wished to capture or^ destroy, the habits, man-
ners, and nature of the creature should be con-
sidered, and we thus may be said to accomplish half

TRAPPING. 115

the undertaking at its oommencemeut. For in-
£tance^ animals of the weasel kind^ such as the
polecat, the stoat, &c., will not manifest half the
suspicion and distrust which are shown hy the rat
ill avoiding the trap. This at the first glance of
the case might seem strange, but on considera-
tion is easily accounted for or explained. TLe
weasel and rat are very different animals, but thev
may be said to be equally fierce and cquall}'^ cou-
rageous ; and, were the rat armed in the same man-
ner, the contests between them, instead of being so
certainly and so easily decided, would become
^oubtfiil, if the result would not be completely re-
versed. However, the rat is a creature much better
acquainted with human nature than the weasel : it
lives in the same dwelling ; but, existing as a plun-
•derer and a thief, to whom mercj^s never extended,
it is more suspicious of the fraudful power of man
than the weasel, and is consequently more diffi-
<jult to trap. If, for instance, you place the most
tempting bait under a leaning door, so contrived
as to give way and fall upon the rat, it is a thou-
sand to one if the latter will go near it ; at all
events, vou cannot cither with oil of rhodium or
any other fascin,ating drug induce the rat to ap-
proach thie place a second time. Further, if you
place a pd.8oned bait upon a plate, or in any for-
mal manner, the rat will not touch it. The case
is different with the weasel tribes. They are

116 THE GAMEKEEPEB^S DIBECTOBY.

more removed from the presence of man than the
rat ; and though they fly from him^ inasmuch as
they ate less acquainted with his wiles^ they are
less suspicious^ and consequently more easily
caught or trapped. The same observations will,
in some degree^ ^PP^y ^^ feathered vermin ; the
jay, for instance, for the reasons already given,
is less suspicious than the magpie, and there-
fore more easily taken. It is not necessary
to multiply these comparisons to any greater
extent, as, from what has been stated, the mean-
ing cannot be misconceived. When trapping is
understood, those who employ it will seldom mis«
carry. When a knowledge of the animal is ob-
tained, the kind of deception used for the purpose^
and the mode of employing it, form the next ob-
ject of consideration ; and it wiU be found that a
similar method wiU answer in every case, whether
for quadrupeds or winged vermin. One great
error hitherto in trapping has been placing the
bait on the bridge of the trap, an observation
which may appear strange and startling to those
who have not duly studied the subject ; but it is,
nevertheless, quite wrong in almost every in-
stance, if not absolutely in all cases, to place
the bait upon the bridge of the trap. Let it be
understood that I am speaking of the steel trap,
not of the box or hutch trap.

Deception is of course one of the grand secrets

TRAPPING. 117

of trapping. If the trap be placed in the sight of
the animal which you are anxious to catchy and
particularly if the bait be placed upon it^ his sus*
picions will be excited^ and failure will most likely
be the result ; on the contrary^ place the bait in a
seeming careless manner and the trap out of sights
fixed in a proper manner, and a failure will very
rarely occur. For instance^ I wish to trap a mag-
pie which I perceive has found a partridge's nest
and destroyed some of the eggs^ only part being de-
posited by the partridge ; or^ I may observe a mag-
pie in the immediate vicinity of the nest^ of whom I
am suspicious^ and therefore am anxious to catch.
I prepare accordingly. I proceed with a steel
trap to the place (a square trap is preferable to a
semicircular one)^ and selecting a spot at some
little distance from the nest^ so that the old par-
tridge is placed in no danger; if a hedge or a tree
happens to be near the spot^ with a small spade I
make a longitudinal hole^ merely sufficient to im-
bed the trap^ and so as to allow a little earthy
leaves^ or grass^ or all of these, to be scattered
over it, making it level with the surrounding
ground, and to appear as like it as possible. Thus
the bottom of a tree or gate post, a hedge, bank,
or elevation of the ground, may form the wall, as
it were, or termination of the work ; close to this
the bait should be placed, and fastened in some
degree by a small peg in a careless manner, so

118 THE gamekeeper's DIRECTORY.

that it may cause the animal which you wish to
trap a tug or two. The trap should be co^'eied
in the manner akeady described^ and placed longi-
tudinally towards the bait — a few inches from it,
so that the animal may stand directly upon the
trap as it pulls at the bait. The trap being placed
longitudinally^ a sort of wall or hedge should be
formed on each side^ so as to prevent the bait
being readied without the vermin passing orer
the trap. The fence sh»)uld be wide at its com-
mencement^ and narrowing up to the bait.

However^ to render the matter as plain and as-
endent as possible to the most obtuse perceptioa
or the shallowest capacity^ I shall in some Aegreor
travel my ground over again and recur to the
magpie. I place my trap a few yards to the right
or the left of the partridge^s nest (so that it may not
catch the parent bird), but plainly in view, so that
when the magpie approaches it cannot fail to see
the bait. As magpies are fond of eggs, nothing
can form a better bait (particularly in the breed-
ing season) than a hen's egg, wldch should be
perforated at each end, the contents blown out,
and a small twig run through it into the ground,
in order to give the magpie some trouble to get
it off; and while it is endeavouring to pull it
away its feet should be on the bridge cf the trap,
the bait being placed at the requisite distance for
that purpose. The plunderer is sure to be caught.

TRAPFINO. 11 9"

The mere shell of the egg answers better for the
purpose of a bait than if it contained its original
contents^ and it is thus more easily fastened to the
requisite spot. I repeat that the square is much
preferable to the semi*circular trap^ as the latter
is more apt to miss the thief^ owing to its form..
Also^ if the trap were placed transTersely instead
of longitudinally^ that is^ across instead of straight
up, it would be more likely to fail in the object.
But when placed as directed the animal walks up
it, and will very rarely, if ever, escape.

If an egg be not at hand, or easily obtained, a
piece of raw meat will answer the purpose^ and
will form a good bait : a magpie is not very par-
ticular in its food.

The preceding remarks are equally applicable
to the carrion crow, the rook, the jay, and the
raven; the latter, however, requiring a larger
trap ; and, indeed, in all cases the size of the trap
should be in proportion to the creature for which
it is set.

If the kite or the buzzard be the object o£ con-
sideration, the trap should be placed precisely in
the same manner; but the bait should be a
pigeon, a small rabbit (or a piece of either), or
any of the smaller kinds of birds, or a piece of
raw meat or liver will answer the purpose. The
bait should be fastened, and if a few feathers are
scattered about, it will be more easily perceived

120 THE OAMEKEEFER^S DIRECTORY.

by these birds ; tbey will discern it^ indeed^ at a
great distance. Kites and buzzards^ though very
mischievous^ are few in nnmber^ and do not
approach the human habitation with the same
familiarity as the magpie or the crow. They are
fond of being able to see a great distance around
them, as if to prevent surprise; and for this
reason they may be often seen, when they alight
on the ground, to take their station on some
hillock or eminence, on downs or other open
places, whence they can survey the surrounding
<;ountry. Wherever it is perceived that these
birds frequent or haunt, the traps should, of
<;ourse, be placed. Let it farther be understood,
that the application of these remarks is not in-
tended to be confined to the breeding season.
Whenever vermin of any kind are discovered, they
should be trapped or destroyed. Thei-e is no
mode so certain as the steel trap, when properly
prepared and set.

The sparrow-hawk, the hobby, &c., require a
smaller trap than the kite or the buzzard; which
is, however, to be prepared and placed in the same
manner, and baited with a sparrow, lark, or other
small bird (excepting the swallow tribe, which
l)irds of prey refuse), and a few of its feathers
scattered about for the purpose of attracting the
object to be caught.

But a baited trap for vermin of the hawk tribe

TRAPPING. 121

is not absolutely necessary. These birds are very
fond of sitting upon an elevated post or stump of
a tree^ where they can command an extensive
prospect ; and^ of late years^ a circular trap (easily
obtainable at a gunmaker^s) has been introduced^
which is so contrived as to be fixed upon the
top of the stump or post just mentioned^ and^
being carefully concealed^ will seldom fail to be
effective.

In regard to quadrupedal vermin^ and first of
all for the polecat^ it may be remarked^ that when
this animal is suspected of making free with the
eggs of the pheasant or the partridge^ the trap
may be prepared for him precisely in the same
manner as already described for the magpie^ and
he is sure to be caught; or should the track to
his hole be discovered^ he may be taken by placing
the trap in it^ close to the hole (covered^ in all
caseSj as the most certain means of success)^ with
or without the bait, but the latter mode is prefer-
able ; or the deception may be placed a little out
of his track ; and perhaps half a yard out of his
track is the better method. This animal is at-
tracted by the smell of musk, and therefore the
bait may be anointed with a little of the essence
of this strong perfume. Sut it will answer the
purpose without it ; and the only effect, in fact,
that it has, is merely enabling the polecat to smell
or scent the bait at a greater distance. A trap

o

122 THE OAM£&E£P£R's DIRECTORY.

placed at the entrance of the hole of the polecat
without a bait will take him^ if covered in th^
manner described in the preceding pages ; but if
not concealed^ its effective operation will be very
uncertain. With a rat it woul<l fail : if the trap
were so placed that the rat could not miss it in
coming out, he would form another hole to avoid
it, when the calls of hunger compelled him to
leave his hiding-place. The bait for a polecat
should be a rat, a mouse, a bird, entrails, or in-
deed almost any animal substance will answer the
v^urpose. And what I have stated respecting the
j^)olecat is equally applicable to the stoat, and to
all the weasel tribe.

The cat, as I have previously stated in a sepa-
rate article, is very destructive to game, for which
nothing is a more tempting bait than a sparrow,
lark, &e. ; and, as these animals are attracted by
valerian, the bait may be rubbed with it if conve-
nient ; but it is not absolutely necessary, as a cat
is easily caught without that addition. Valerian
may, as well as musk, be obtained at any drug-
gist^s shop. It will be requisite, of course, to set
a larger trap for a cat than that which is used for
a weasel or a magpie.

The caution of rats in approaching a trap is
f ery well known ; and, in fkct, those who attempt
to take them in the common way uniformly fail :
ati odd one may perhaps be caught (and that

TEAPPING. 123

not often)^ and there the business ends. But
when the trap is concealed in a proper manner
the rats are sure to be caught. By way of ex-
periment^ in au outbuilding, well stocked with
rats> I placed a steel trap, baited with a herring;
but not one would touch it. I anointed the trap
with oils of aniseed, carraway, and rhodium ; yet
the rats declined it. I baited a wire trap, and
succeeded in taking one, something more than
half grown ; but I could not catch another : and
yet I repeatedly saw the rats, by dozens, round
the trap, towards the evening, when they came
from their holes in search of food« I placed a
heavy door, sloping -so contrived that by pulling-
a string the door would fiill. Under this I placed-
some cheese, and killed one rat. But though I
tried the same experiment three successive even-
ings, and used the fascinating oils also, still it
would not do ; the rats were too suspicious : they
would not venture under the door for the bait,,
notwithstanding they would go all round the spot
very unconcernedly. The rats being very nume-
rous, however, I placed a few pills (as described
under the article Eat, p. 58, &c.), and in two days
the place was entirely free from these vermin. If
one dozeu pUls only be put down where there are
fifty rats, it will not kill them all, it is true, as the
quantity is not sufficient for that purpose; it wilL

G 2

124 THE gamekeepee's directory.

kill a few^ and the remainder will most certainly
quit the premises. There is no mode of ridding a
house or building of rats so easy as this ; nor^ in-
deed^ any mode more certain. I have tried it
many times^ and under every variety of circum-
stance^ and yet never witnessed its failure. It
may be said that those rats which are not de-
stroyed, but which nevertheless quit the premises,
wiU visit your neighbour, and take up their abode
with him : and all I have to say in answer to this
is, that your neighbour can adopt the same means
to rid himself of such unwelcome company. If,
however, contrary to their usual habit, the living
rat^ continue, they will not fail to take the pills.

Let it be weU remembered, that the great secret
of trapping or destroying vermin is the deception
or concealment of the engine made use of (see the
article Hereuitary Instinct).

In the preceding remarks I have confined my-
self to the steel trap, which will answer every pur-
pose of destroying vermin much better than the
hutch or box trap. The latter may be useful
when hares are wanted to be taken alive ; which,
however, are much more certainly caught with
the purse net.

The success of the hutch trap will be, in some
measure, insured by a species of deception in pre-
paring it, which is not so easily accomplished as

ON THE USE OF POISON. 125

-vrith the steel trap ; and^ after the ample descrip*
tion I have ahr^idy given^ it is unnecessary to say
more on the subject.

OBSERTATIONS ON THE USE OF POISON IN THE
DESTRUCTION OF YERMIN.

It will be generally admitted that there is some-
thing very repugnant to the human mind in the
idea of poison ; nor am I by any means friendly
to the use of it^ unless, indeed^ where circum«
stances render it indispensable. But it is neces<-
sary to make a few observations on the subject, in
order to render the present work as complete as
possible. It has been already shewn that vermin
may be effectually destroyed without the use of
poison. They may, x>6rhaps, be more easily de-
stroyed with it, but then the lives of other crea-
tures must be placed in jeopardy : except as
regards rats and mice, as in these cases it can
very conveniently be thrown or conveyed into
their burrows, where neither dog, cat, nor any
other animal, except those for which it is intended,
can reach it.

Vermin of aU kinds may be destroyed by poison,
and the process is remarkably simple. If, for in-
stance, it be wished to destroy a magpie, rook,
crow, &c., by poison, nothing more is necessary

126 THE QAMEKEEPEB^S DIRECTORY.

than rubbing the bait with arsenic. Take a small
piece of meat^ make an incision in it^ and in the
said incision sprinkle or rub the arsenic; place
this in the haunt of a magpie^ fee, and it will do
the business most effectually. The arsenic being
tastless is more readily taken by vermin than nux
vomica, or most other poisons ; further, there is
very little trouble in preparing the bait with it,
and the article may be obtained at any druggist's.

All four-footed vermin may be destroyed in the
following manner ; — Take small birds, such as the
sparrow, linnet, &c., and dip their wings in essence
of musk. Cut the breast of the bird open on both
sides, and rub in five grains of arsenic. Place the
bird about six inches from the ground, on a stick,
in the paths where you observe the vermin run.
In using arsenic, care should be taken not to give
too much, lest it should produce sickness, when
the animal will throw it up. Five grains, or as
much as will lie on the point of a sharp penknife,
is sufficient.

Should a jay be the object, some peas steeped
in an infiision of coculus indicus will be found a
more tempting bait than animal substances.

If it be necessary to poison any of the hawk
tribe, or other predaceous birds, one of the smaller
kind of birds, cut open and sprinkled or rubbed
with arsenic, will effect the object. The arsenic
should be used sparingly in all cases, as very little

HEREDITABY INSTINCT. 127

of this deadly mineral will destroy life; and if a
considerable quantity be taken into the stomach,
it will (as I have already observed) perhaps pro-
duce sickness^ and may be thus thrown up.

The same bait that answers for the hawk tribe
will equally suit for the cat^ the marten^ the pole-
cat^ and^ indeed^ for all kinds of four-footed
vermin. At. the same time the utmost possible
caution should be used in placing it out of the
reach of every other animal. Once more I must
observe that I do not improve of the use of poison^
except in the destruction of rats.

The magpie, or, indeed, any other bird, or any
vermin^ may be taken by soaking the bait in an
infusion of coculus indicus. This will rather pro-
duce intoxication than deaths and the creatures
will mostly recover. Wine lees will answer the
purpose of coculus indicus.

HEREDITARY INSTINCT.

In making use of the term which appears at the
head of this article^ I do not wish to be understood
as throwing down the gauntlet to the literary
critic, but merely to give the impression on my
own mind in the most intelligible and t^e simplest
form ; and those, therefore, who take the trouble
to peruse this article will be able to form an

128 THE gamekeeper's directory.

opmion how far I am correct in adopting the term
Hereditary Instinct,

"We are all very well aware that the antelope
flies from the lion^ even though it be the first time
that the former has beheld this lord of the forest ;
when it could not^ from experience^ have known
that the lion was its enemy. By what^ then^ did
the antelope acquire this consciousness of its
danger ? I answer, by hereditary instinct; though
it may perhaps be somewhat difficult to reason
the subject to satisfactory conviction. In the first
place it may be observed, that the dam of the said
antelope could not impress upon its mind, in any
descriptive language, the form and figure and
disposition of its most formidable destroyer; and
yet the antelope possesses the knowledge intui*
tively. Therefore we must conclude that, during
the period of gestation, this knowledge must have
been conveyed by sympathetic impression from
the mind of the female to the tender and growing
fetus. That an almost intensity of sympathy is
frequently manifested in many cases of this kind
is incontrovertible ; and though from the very
mysterious nature of the subject I find it difficult
to express my meaning in a lucid manner, in any
form of words ; yet I trust I shall not be alto-
gether misunderstood.

The instance of the antelope does not stand
alone ; since, if we look through animated nature,

HEREDITARY INSTINCT. 129

we shall 'find that all creatures instinctively fly
from what may be called their natural enemiesi :
thus^ the mouse from the cat, the rat from the
ferret and the weasel^ the pigeon from the hawk ;
and^ in fact^ the simile might be multiplied almost
to infinity. Yet this hereditary instinct^ this in«
tuitive dread of enemy^ admits of different de«
grees or varieties. In the first instance the lion
dreads not the power or the enmity of man; on
the contrary^ he seeks^ pursues^ and devours the
naked savage : and it is not till experience has
taught him the superiority of civilized man that
he files from the presence of this lord of the
creation. Thus the lion may be said to possess
hereditary instinct in a surprising manner: he
makes the almost defenceless Hottentot his prey
at this moment^ but declines the contest with the
white man^ even when he approaches him for the
first time !

The object of these observations is to show that
as all those creatures which I have denominated
vermin possess an instinctive dread of man^ so to
insure their destruction we must study their
nature^ manners^ and habits, and adopt such
means as are the least calculated to excite their
suspicion. It is not because a weasel or a rat, for
instancOji presents itself to man that it is not con*
scions of his power; on the contrary, by some
wonderful process it acquires this knowledge in

G 3

130 THE GAM£K££F£fi,^S DIBECTORY.

the womb^ or with life^ and is thus instinctively
taught to avoid its most resistless enemy. It is
true^ these creatures approach the human d^vell-
ing, and even take up their abode under the very
roof of their powerful destroyer ; but to this they
are constrained by the calls of hunger — the impe-
rious laws of nature — and are not on this account
the less fearful or suspicious of him. The rat^ of
all the other vermin I have noticed^ seems the
closest and most constant inmate (if I may be
allowed the expression) ; it thus becomes better
acquainted with human nature — becomes, con-
sequently, more cunning and more suspicious,
from the very circumstances of its superior know-
ledge of the wiles and power of its merciless per-
secutor. Hence, with creatures for ever verv sus-
piciously on their guard, we must adopt such
stratagems or deceptions for their captm^e as are
calculated not to give the most trifling alarm, not
to excite the smallest suspicion, or we must not
expect either complete or satisfactory success.

It has been repeatedly stated that the gun may
be used in the destruction of winged vermin at
breeding time j but to render the gun available it
is necessary to possess a perfect knowledge of the
instinct of the animal sought to be destroyed.
For instance, the nest of a carrion crow is dis-
covered ; it will be impossible to shoot the old one
m tlie nest, unless with a bullet, even if she would

ON POACHINa^ ETC. 131

suffer the approach of the keeper. Therefore a
htit formed of boughs and brushwood must be
made within gunshot of the nest^ so as to conceal
a man with a gun. If only one person go into
the cover where the nest may be, the old bird will
fly away and continue sailing round the place so
long as the man remains in the cover, and will
not, until she sees him go completely away, return
to the nest. But as birds have not the faculty of
counting, two persons must go into the wood to-
wards the nest ; one must remain, and the other
retire, taking care that the old bird sees one leave
the neighbourhood. She will return to her nest
without suspicion the moment the man retiring is
at what she considers a safe distance. The per-
son remaining in the wood must have his gun
bearing on the nest, so as to fire the moment she
alights on the edge of it, or the opportunity will
be lost. These remarks are equally applicable to
the magpie and raven.

OBSERVATIONS ON POACHING, AND ON THE MEANS

OP PKEVENTING IT.

A POACHER generally exhibits external marks or
characteristics of his profession; the suspicious
leer of his hollow and sunken eyes, hi» pallid
cheek, his wide, copious, and weU-pocketed jacket —

132 THE GAH£K££P£B^S DIRECTORY.

in fact^ his appearance altogether is impressively at
Tariance with that which is manifested by any other
class of the human species. He contracts habits
of idleness to snch a degree that he can scarcely
ever persuade himself to work, even at that period
of the year when there is no longer an iUidt mar-
ket open for the fruits of his notumal depredations.
As the month of September draws near he puts
his tackle in order — ^he prepares his destructive
net, and watches with unwearied perseverance the
jucking of partridges. During the season of his
culpable exertion, when the rest of the world is
lulled in repose, he is busied in his nefarious pur*
suits amidst the noxious dews of evening, amongst
which he has frequently to secrete himself till he
is half periBhed, anxioudy waiting for the fevour-
able moment, or thus eluding the inquisitive
search of the gamekeeper. He retires to feverish
and uncertain repose when the more honest part
of the community rise from their peaceful couches
to commence their diurnal avocations. He rises
at mid-day scarcely refreshed, and seeks to renew
in the fiimes of strong drink the exhaustion which
nature has experiencd from the noxious prowling
of the preceding night ; he thus prepares for a re «
newal of depredation. His habitation seems to
take its tone from its wretched master ; it wears
a different appearance from those which surround
it. His wife and children are clothed in rags ;

ON POACHING, ETC. 133

while he, even if unmolested, dies prematurely of
an accumulation of disease, the natural result of
his pernicious habits.

It is perhaps among that description of persons
'weW known by the name of poachers (observes a
writer) that the greater nimiber of those are
trained to rapine, who infest every rural neigh*
bourhood with their petty thefts, and whose dex-
terity almost bids defiance to precaution. Accus-
tomed in the ensnaring of game to the secrecy of
fraud, and committing their depredations amidst
the silence of night, those horrors, and that conse*
quent dread which frequently deter from the com*
mission of great offences, gradually lose their
effects. Solitude and darkness, which have where-
withal to appal the human mind in its first devia*
tions into guilt, are divested of their terror in
those pilfering pursuits ; and the consequence is
sufficiently well known to all who, in the capacity
of magistrates, are called to sit in judgment on
the delinquency of public offenders. It is to
this initiation they ascribe their subsequent enor*
mities.

When guilt, however venial, becomes by repe-
tition familiar to the mind, it is not in the power
of the ignorant and the uneducated to restrain
its excesses ; they cannot arrest their career of
iniquity, they cannot chalk out the line of wrong

134 THE GAMEKEBPER^S DIRECTORY.

beyond which they will not pass. Confining their
first nocturnal excursions to the snaring of hares
and netting of partridges, whenever they have a
less booty than nsual they are tempted to compen-
sate the deficiency by petty plunder of some kind ;
and the log pile, the stack, the fold, the hen roost,
all in turn pay tribute to the prowling vagabond,
who fills as he can that void in his capacious bag
which has been left by his want of success as a
poacher.

The great evil is, that a culprit of this class,
feeling no compunction in the early stage of his
guilt, proceeds carelessly to a state of the most
complete degeneracy. Grame is a species of pro-
perty of which he has so indistinct a conception,
that he scarcely thinks he has committed a moral
injustice in the various stratagems by which he
has contrived to obtain it. He sees not that the
<;laim of another is superior to his ; he perceives
not whence that absolute legal right in another to
that which he has taken is derived : his com-
panions to whom he recounts his manoeuvres are
more likely to applaud his cunning than to re-
prove his crime. Thus the remorse of conscience
being but slight and feeble in the outset, the
wretch is encouraged by degrees to trample on the
laws with greater boldness, and at length suffers
as a felon.

ox POACHING, ETC. 135

That law3 should be made to prevent the man
whose family depends entirely upon his labour for
support from quitting his spade or his plough to
range the woods for precarious subsistence by the
destruction of animals, must be conceded bv all
who contribute to the fund which is exacted for
the support of the indigent in this country ; and
the T\Titer, who paints in his closet the hardships
of the husbandman in being restrained from cap-
turing what is called game, would in his parlour
be amongst the foremost to grumble at the de-
mand of an increased rate occasioned by the
families of half a dozen poachers coming suddenly
upon the parish purse to which he paid.

Formerly, when deer were numerous not only
in parks but in the various forests in the king-
dom (most of which have been disafforested and
cultivated), poaching, though marked with a
somewhat different practical character, was essen-
tially the same, essentiaUy ferocious, essentially
disgraceful. A fat buck was a tempting prize,
especially when a ready market was always
found at no great distance, at which the plun^
der could be well and securely sold; for it
would seem that in all ages no idea of moral
turpitude was attached to the crime of poaching,
at least by the lower and the middling classes of
the community, since the stolen venison was
bought by the inhabitants of large towns as

186 THE gamekeeper's directory.

eagerly as pheasants^ partridges^ and hares^ at the
present day.

Many persons snppose that the game laws are
not what they ought to be ; yet the public press
has at times^ I thinks rather inconsiderately> if
not absolutely^ advocated the cause of the poacher^
spoke of his nefarious calling in terms rather cal-
culated to excite than to repress the future
prosecution of it.

In every form poaching is a demoralizing,
debasing, and disgusting profession^ which seldom
fails to end in the premature^ and often very
miserable, death of the person who follows it.
From the very nature of the avocation, those who
pursue it are subject to disease, from repeated ex-
posure to the unwholesame nocturnal dews amongst
which they are frequently compelled to bury them-
selves, either to escape observation or to insure
success. A poacher becomes an infirm old man
ere he attains the meridian of human life (if he be
fortunate enough to escape transportation or the
gallows), and dies a victim to premature decay and
abject poverty.

If the deer stealer of former times killed his
game, and occasionally when pursued offered
battle to the keeper, he was far less guilty than
the merciless blood-thirsty poacher of the present
day, who, not content to confine his depredations
to some distance, audaciously approaches the very

ON POACHING^ ETC. 187

dwellings threatening to murder the master or any
person who may attempt to oppose his progress or
offer him the least molestation.

Like all other sciences^ poaching may very justly
be said to have experienced the progress of modern
improvement ; and indeed^ as feur as relates to phea*
sants^ for instance^ the gun is the only instrument
which is now deemed necessary ; with this engine,
therefore^ the ferocious poacher adyances for the
attainment of his object^ scorning to wait the
more tedious process of snares and stratagems.

Formerly partridges were driven into a net by
means of a horse— a tolerably sure method, but
which occupied a considerable time ; these birds
are now much more speedily captured by the net
being drawn over them.

However, in order to make myself, or rather
my present purpose, perfectly understood, I must
first detail the system of poaching consecutively
before I explain the means of preventing it. To
begin with grouse, it is generally thought impos-
sible to net grouse ; and indeed, when the manners
and habits of these birds are considered, as also
the nature of the places where they are found, this
notion was naturally enough entertained. Grouse, it
is very well known to those acquainted with the
moors, are always found more separated firom each
other than partridges; and, moreover, being
found amongst the heath, and frequently amongst

188 THE GAMEKEEPER^S DIRECTORY.

long heathy the net seemed by no means calcu^
lated for the capture of these birds. I was of this
opinion till about nine years since^ when I hap-
pened to be shooting on the Yorkshire hills. It
so fell out (as indeed it very often happens on the
grouse mountains) that rain came on^ and I was
driven to seek shelter at a farmhcmse which hap-
pened to be situated near at hand — ^a circumstance
which does not always occur, as farmhouses are
very thinly scattered on the moors. I was re-
ceived by the people of the house with all that
genuine hospitality which I have firequently expe-
rienced in Yorkshire. The rain continued; I
drew forth some cigars, and, having a well-stored
flask of brandy, I made myself as comfortable as
possible with my best Havannah and real Cognac.
I offered the master of the house a share of my
enjoyments ; he accepted the latter, but preferred
his own pipe to a cigar. He was a man of unas-
suming manners^ intelligent for his station in life,
and I passed an hour or two very pleasantly.
The rain continued to descend, and I b^an to
lament that I should have to return almost " boot-
less home and weatherbeaten back,'^ having only
bagged one bird. As my host had become very
communicative, he at length informed me that he
could furnish me with three brace of these birds if

I wished it. I had not the most remote wish to

•

become the possessor of the birds, though in the

ON POACHING, ETC. 139

hilarity of bis feelings he offered them as a pre*
sent. But I had no objection to know by what
means he became possessed of them ; and, after
some little circumlocution, he said he had caught
them the preceding evening. To come to the
point, the following was this man's system : — He
watched the birds on the approach of evening,
when they collect for the purpose of passing the
night. Grouse, if undisturbed, will sleep as near
the same spot as possible for many nights in suc-
cession ; and the spots of ground which they oc-
cupy during the night, like those which the par-
tridge occupies for a similar purpose, will be re-
markable for a quantity of droppings. As a pre-
liminary measure, the man by this means marked
the place in the day, and thus it might be said
that half the object was accomplished ; at nightfall
he watched the birds to their place of rest, and
after all had been still for some hours, he, accom-
panied by his wife, proceeded to the spot, and
covered the birds with a net. The net which the
man used for the purpose was similar to the drag-
net used by poachers for catching partridges, and
they drew it something in the same way, but more
slowly and more cautiously. This system, how-
ever, could only be successfully practised by those
who reside on, or by the side of, the moors. The
man said that he was not aware any other persons
besides himself were acquainted with, or practised,

140 THE oahekeepcb's dibectort.

this method of taMng grouse ; and he had only
known it two years. One evening, he said, return-
ing home, he happened to observe a brood of
grouse taking up their abode for the night, when
the thought crossed his mind that they might be
covered with a net; hence the man became a
poacher. The gun is the engine used by poachers
for these birds, and for black game also; of course
in the day time.

The grouse poachers, indeed, in the north
(where they may be said to abound) frequently go
in gangs of from six to a dozen. They spread
themselves at the distance of forty or fifty yards
from each other, each man preceded by a dog, and
thus cover a very considerable extent of ground.
Few birds can escape them ; and on these occa-
sions they bid defiance to keepers and watchers.
They may be frequently seen singly also. I have
often met with them on the Yorkshire, on the
Westmoreland, and on the Durham mountains,
on the 12th of August, and have repeatedly been
offered game by them for sale. Many attempts
have been made to put a stop to the depredations
of these men by the owners of the mountains, but
hitherto very ineffectually. Theyare all lead miners,
who have passed their lives among the mountains
and moors, are well acquainted with the ground,
and, although they might be partially repressed,
can never be wholly subdued. A man of the

ON POACHING, ETC. 141

name of Armstrong rendered himself very cele*
brious on the mountains of the north of England
about ten years since. I saw this man on Stain-
moor; he was dreaded as a desperado by the
watchers, though

«(

No giant form set forth his common height.' '

Armstrong, from his appearance and demeanour
to casual observation, would have been set down
as a civil, inoffensive man ; yet he had frequently
beaten and escaped from the clutches of three or
four watchers.* He was, however, at length
secured and placed in a strong room, through the
roof of which he made his way, was pursued, and,
coming to a river, he boldly plunged into the
stream without being able to swim ; and, in con-
«equence, was taken out in a drowning state and
safely lodged in gaol. What ultimately became
of him I never heard.

Most of these men are good shots, though some
of their fowling pieces are but dumsy-looking in-
struments, similar to what are frequently seen in
the hands of the Highlanders. In the year 1824
I happened to be shooting on Stainmoor, near
Bowes, on the 13th of August ; it was about noon,
and I was sitting by the side of a small stream of
water, when one of these miners approached with

* Men appointed to prevent trespassing and poaching on
the moors^ but who do not, like gamekeepers, carry a gun.

14& THE OAlfXKXXnB^S BIBECTOBY.

his gun and his dog^ and very uncereuKmiausly
seated himself at the distance of two or three
yards. He asked me what sporty and I answered
very indifferent. He then observed that he could
accommodate me with any quantity of birds at
four shillings a brace, which I declined. He
requested me to give him a little gunpowder for
the purpose of priming, that which he used being
of a very coarse quality, such as is used in the
mines for the purpose of " blasting " or blowing
up the rock or ore. There was a tone of civility
about the man, and I did not hesitate to comply
with his request ; he took his departure, directing
me to a part of the moors where in the afternoon
I obtained good diversion. I have frequently
exchanged a few words with these men on the
moors, and always found them civil, though in
appearance they are anything rather than prepos-
sessing. Nor is this surprising, as the nature of
their employment in the bowels of the mountains
gives to their countenances a most pallid and
cadaverous hue; and when the shooting season
approaches, like spectres they emerge from their
dark and dreary abodes, and expose themselves to
all kinds of weather, and almost all kinds of hard-
ship, in the pursuit of grouse. When the game
becomes wild they contrive to kill it when no
other persons could come near it. When snow
covers the mountains they put a shirt over their

ON POACHING^ £TC. 14^

clothes^ and make themselves altogether as neai*
the colour of the moors as possible; and they thus
generally sacceed in their object. They possess
the great advantage of an intimate knowledge of
the ground^ and also of the haunts of the birds ;
they pursue them early and late^ and can imitate
their call so well as to bring them within reach
when they are unapproachable by any other
means — this particularly at the latter end of the
season^ when they make havoc among the cocks
by imitating the call of the female. The cele-
brious Siddall informed me that he had frequently
been on the mountains in hard &osty weather
many hours before the dawn of day^ and that on
such occasions he had crept into some temporary
hut or shed^ waiting till he had been nearly frozen
for daylight^ when he had shook the ice from his
legs and garments^ and sallied forth as soon as he
could discern the flight of a grouse. On one
occasion this same Siddall was taken by the
Bishop of Durham^s watchers^ and conveyed to a
publichouse in the village of Chapel-in-Weardale,
preparatory to his being taken before a magistrate
and committed to prison. Here he remained for
some hours— till such time^ in fact^ as his asso-
ciates had collected^ when they beset the house^
compelled those who had the charge of the
prisoner to make a very precipitate retreat, and
carried off Siddall in triumph.

144 THE OAMEK£EP£&^S DIEECTOBY.

Poaching in what^ for the sake of distinction^
may be called the enclosures presents a different
character; and^ indeed^ a more desperate — a more
detestable character. Of late years it has arrived
at a most alarming heightj and particularly since
pheasants became so numerous and so general in
this country. The pheasant is a tempting prize ;
it is easily captured^ sells high^ and finds a ready
market.

The principal intention of the present article
is to point out the means generally adopted for
the destruction of these birds under less terrific
circumstances than those to which we have alluded^
afl well as to describe the most effectual means of
counteracting or preventing them. There are
various modes by which pheasants may be taken^
either by day or night; as the pheasant^ of all
other birds, has perhaps the least sagacity in
avoiding danger. These birds may be taken with
snares placed in their runs ; as, if little disturbed,
they will frequent the same places; but this
method is by no means infallible, and seldom (if
ever) resorted to by the professed poacher. Phea-
sants do not take to roosting in the trees tiU the
leaves fall; in fact, it may be remarked that
pheasants sleep on the ground till such time as
there is little cover upon it, when they take to the
trees ; and this is the harvest for the poacher. It
may be very easily perceived in the daytime upon

ON POACHING^ ETC. 145

which trees the pheasants perch^ from the drop-
pings or dung which may be observed under them^
and they will continue to occupy the same places
tmless much disturbed. They are plainly percep-
tible sitting on the branches at nighty not merely
by moonlight^ but the night must be very dark
indeed which does not afford sufficient light for
the purpose of shooting them : in the estimation
of the poacher the night can never be too dark —
the darker the better, he will tell you. Further,
if the wind blows it is in favour of the poacher :
an old and an inveterate poacher once observed to
me, that '^ if the wind blew he could not lie in
bed.'* The birds on such occasions will not move:
jBfly of them will suffer themselves to be shot, one
afiter the other, without a single bird offering to
fly away. At the same time the poacher is better
concealed from the observation of those who may
be on the look-out for him, as wdl as enabled to
elude pursuit more easily.

As to the plan of burning biimstone, fixed on a
pole, under the nose of the pheasant, for the pur-
pose of suffocating him, it is a plan which will not
often succeed. In the first place it becomes a very
difficult matter, and frequently quite impossible,
to place the burning sulphur in the requisite situa-
tion, as pheasants often roost so high as to render
a much longer pole than ordinary requisite in

116 THE GAHEKSEFER's DIRECTORY.

order to reneh them ; to sajr nothing of the int^-
ventioQ of boughs^ and other unforeseen eireum--
stances : the wind^ too^ must be completdy hushed .
Similar observations will apply to a pole with a
noose at the end of it for the purpose of putting
over the pheasant^s head and pulling him down.
If, therefore, the pheasant is to be taken by either
of these methods, the bird must not only place
himself conveniently tat the purpose, but all coU
lateral circumstances must be equally fortunate.

We hear, too, of poachers heeling a game cock
and placing him in the haunt of a cock pheasant ;
vhen, it is aaid^ the latter comes fiercely to the
encounter, and is quickly killed or disabled. I
will not say that a case of this kind never occurred;
but those who have witnessed battles between
game cocks and pheasants would have some diffi*
culty in believing that many of the latt^ birds
could be thus taken. They would be aware that
the pheasant, if he came to the encounter^ if he
either offered to fight or accepted the challenge,
would not stand to be killed or much hurt : when
these birds attempt to fight a domestic cock they
show very little disposition to come to doae
quarters; thiqr give the cock a buffet, and the
moment he attempts to return the compliment,
take wing--*tbey fly up perhaps into an adjoining
tree, leanng the cock staring about and wondering

i

ON POACHING, ETC. 147

what has beooma of his antagonist; and the
moment he turns to go away down comes the
pheatsant and gives him another souse.

j^easants may be taken with baited hooks, or
gmin steeped in an infiision of cocnlus indicus or
ardent spunts ; but none of these methods would
answer the purpose of the poacher : he adopts a
more speedy, a more decisive, and much more
efficient method — ^the gim, which, as it has pro-
duced a complete revolution in field sports, has
also entirely altered the system of the poacher.
Pheasants, as I have already observed, betake
themselves to roosting in the trees on the approach
of winter ; and will generally be found in clusters
as it were, or several, and sometimes many in com-
pany : the poacher approaches like a wily assassin,.
in the silence of night, and shoots them one by
one. If it be a very clear moonlight night the
birds will frequently make off at the first dis-
charge; but under other circumstances, akeady
described, will suffix themselves all to be killed.
Air guns are often used by those poachers who
are fortunate enough to be able to procure them,
and are of course preferred by the nightly depre-
dator, as they make much less noise in the dis-
charge than the fowling piece ; but it is quite a
mistake to suppose that their discharge is emitted
in silence : the noise of an air gun is much greater

H 2

148 THE gahekbeper's dibectory.

than nught be supposed ; particularly when dis-
charged amid the dead silence of night.

In strong pheasant preserves^ in hard weather^
these birds congregate very much at those places
where they are fed : they roost in the adjoining
trees; and on such occasions the poacher is
enabled to shoot two or three brace without
moving from the spot^ or scarcely altering his
position.

There is no remedy for this species of depreda-
tion but a good look-out by the keepers ; at the
same time^ poachers^ if they are adepts at the
business, resort to the most cunning and the most
wary methods of frustrating the vigilance of those
whose duty it is to detect and apprehend them.
A poacher now living, and not yet beyond the
meridian of life, informed me that on one occasion
he and two of his companions sallied forth at
eleven o^clock, and directed their steps to a wood
well stocked with pheasants. He alone carried a
gun — ^his companions merely a bag. It was during
the frost. They entered the wood, and reaching
one of the feeding places, this man killed four
brace and a-half of pheasants, which his com-
panions bagged. They then altered their station,
and killed two brace more, when they retired
completely unmolested; although a keeper, and
at least a dozen temporary assistants, were ap-

ON POACHING, ETC. 149

pointed to take care of this very preserve. This
fellow smiled when I told him that in the news-
papers of a neighbouring large town the affair had
been very differently represented. The published
accounts stated, that " a desperate gang of
poachers, all armed with guns, and amounting in
the whole, it was supposed, to a dozen or more

{as tmie were seen), entered Wood, and

committed havoc amongst the pheasants for several
hours, and retired with their booty : for that on
the keepers approaching they were told to keep
off; and they were under the necessity of so doing
from the overpowering number of the ruffians V

That keepers frequently neglect their duty on
such occasions is probable ; particularly when the
nature of the business is considered. It requires
at least a fi^l share of courage to face the danger
— to grope the way in the dark, as it were, liable
at every step to be knocked down, or perhaps
assassinated. But to return.

The practice of the more knowing poachers on
entering a pheasant cover is this : they go in a
body and fire only one shot in one particular
place ; having previously agreed upon a place of
meeting if disturbed. As soon as a pheasant is
discovered, a man with a gun is left at the foot of
the tree, the others going to look for more. A
second pheasant is found, and a man stationed
with him ; and so on until the whole of the band

150 THE GA>nSKEX]P£K^S mRJBCTORY.

hare each marked a bird. The lait man that
gires a signal by a low whistle. The goiu^ whicii
are lightly chai^ed^ make a eommon report ; sMtA
the poachers leave the place immediatdy iar their
previously appointed rendezvous.

Partridges are particularly obnoxious to the
depredations of the poacher; and in (»'der to have
a clear knowledge of the business of preventiwi
we must, in the first place, locdt at the means em-
ployed for the purpose of capturing these interest-*
ing birds.

The stalking horse, as I have already observed^
was used for the purpose of driving partridges ;
and the instrument in question was '^ made in the
form and fashion of a horse cut out of canvaa^
and stuffed with straw." But the improving^
poacher at length discovered that a real horse
would answer the purpose much better, and with
less trouble ; as the horse becomes an apt scholar
at the business, and as fond of it as his teacher.
Almost any horse will become very handy at
driving partridges in an incredibly short period ;
but an active animal that could be got readily
through the gaps, is, of course, best calculated &r
the purpose. It is well known that partridges
are ibnd of sleeping or jucking in the after-grass,
particularly during the months of August and
September, before cattle are turned into it, aa
they will not continue in it afterwards ; and sudi

ON POACHnro^ eicu 151

situations are admiraiUy oalcufatted far driving
partridges* The poacher in the first place ascer-
tains the field in which the covey takes up its
abode for the night, which he will he able to
know by the calling of the birds in the evening.
Two or three hours after the covey has become
still (say eleven or twelve o^clodt) he proceeds to
the place, and fixes his tunnel net^ at no great dis*
tance from the hedge, and so that in driving to-
wards it the birds may, if posdble, run down
wind. The net being set, with merriy a bridle on
the horse, he places himself close to the animal^s
near fore-leg, his right hand, with the bridle-rein^
raised to the withers ; firom which position he is
enabled to direct aU the motions of the horse^
The poacher should be clothed in a close jacket,
and keep step with the horse^s fore4egs. He
moves up and down the field slowly till he per-
ceives the covey, which he cautiously approaches
till they get upon their feet and run; and this the
birds evidently do for fear of being trodden on by
the horse. The horse follows them ; and if they
attempt to move from the proper direction the
horse is made to cross, or to move sideways, so as
to force the birds into the right direction again.
Thus the business proceeds till the birds arrive at

^ A net With two extensive win^, and a tunnel^ formed
by hoops, in the middle. The net, ivhen set, need not reach
more than eighteen inches in height.

152 THE OAMEKEBPER^S DIRECTOBY.

the net ; thej come perhaps in contact with one
of the extended wings^ and by the movements of
the horse at length arrive at the mouth of the
tunnel. The cock partridge leads the waj^ and
when he arrives at the entrance of the tunnel he
generally pauses for a second or two^ when he
enters^ calling the others after him^ and the whole
dxe secured.

I have already observed that horses soon become
fond of driving partridges. I knew a man who,
thirty-five years ago, regularly foUowed the busi-
ness of a partridge driving, and was a very expert
hand. He kept no horse, but was in the habit of
taking one which belonged to a neighbouring
farmer; it was the owner's hack, and appeared to
be almost as fond of this employment as a hunter
is of following hounds. The hack in question was
very handy at getting over fences. But I have
known this man to accomplish his object with one
of the cart horses, when the hack was not to be
had. Driving was a slow, but a sure process ; so
sure, indeed, that if a bird happened to miss
entering the tunnel and take wing, if the rest were
set free, ten to one but every individual might be
caught the following night. The man to whom I
have just alluded generally commenced operations
a week before the first of September ; he would
bring the birds home alive, and place them in a
loft which he had for the purpose. They would

ON POACHING^ ETC. 153

feed, and after having been in confinement for a
day or two, the old cock would begin to call,
morning and evening, particularly at the latter
period ; to prevent which, as much as possible, the
fellow used to knock with a stick against the
ceiling of his cottage (directly under the birds),
when the noise would cease for several minutes,
and cease altogether in a quarter of an hour.
Many shooters were in the habit of coming into
the neighbourhood on the first of September, to
whom this fellow disposed of his birds.

A setting dog— one taught to allow the net to
be drawn over him, without moving, was also used
by nightly depredators ; but every prior invention
and contrivance has given way to the drag net.
This is nothing more than a large net, forming
what may be termed an oblong square. A drag
net may be made from ten to thirty yards long
(or rather, wide), and three or four deep. The
bottom is leaded and left to drag on the ground ;
the top is supported by two men, one at each end,
while a tliird follows the net to disentangle it,
should it come in contact with any unperceived
thorns, or other impediments. Thus prepared,
the field is tried all over : if there are birds, the
moment the net touches them they attempt to fly;
the net is instantly dropped, and the birds are en-
tangled. This is a much quicker process than
driving, and is now in general use.

H 3

154 THE GAMEKEEPBE^S DIRECTORY.

Bashing the fiel£ls is not an uncommon practioe,
nor yet a bad one^ as poadiers cannot net the
birds till the bushes are removed ; and the removal
>rould give them much trouble^ to say tiie least of
it. Let it be recollected that partridges very
rarely sleep in stubbles ; their favourite places for
jucking, as I have already observed, are grass
fields, containing no cattle — particularly in after ^
grass, which is not disturbed.

If partridges be disturbed as soon as they have
congregated for the night (at dusk) they will not
assemble again that night, so as to enable the
poacher to net them ; and therefore, if they are
run up every night, the poacher has no chance.
When a covey is sprung at night they separate^
and for the most part individually get to some
hedge, where they continue for the night. If
they should take up their abode for the night in
the middle of a field, two will not be found
together; they will not unite again till day-
break.

If one partridge happens to spring, the whole
are sure to follow, and therefore, against the
tunnel net, the following method was adopted : —
The bearing claw of one bird in each covey being
cut off, he could not run ; he cotisequently took
wing the moment an attempt was made to drive.
But this, which could not be otherwise than at-
tended with much trouble, amounts to nothing :

ON POACHING, £TC« 135

it is no security against the ojperation of the drag
net.

Partridges are sometimes destroyed by th^
fowling-piece in a wholesale mann^. I once
knew a fellow who watched a oovey to their sleep-
ing spot. He was placed behind a thin hedge,
distance aboat twenty^five yards« As soon as the
birds were quite still, and appeared comfortably
settled, he broke off a twig ; the birds, hearing
this trifling noise, raised thdr heads ;; he levelled
the deadly tube and killed every bird*-eleven in
number. There are few poachers but are very
fond of the fowling'>piece, and of embracing every
opportunity of using it. The gun becomes a de«
structive engine in their hands when snow covers
the ground ; as partridges are deprived, as it were,
of their natural protection, and may be frequently
seen in groups huddled together.

Partridges may be taken with snares made of
horse-'hair, or baited hooks, placed in their basking
places ; but nothing requires so much vigilance to
guard against as the drag liet.

The ^^poor, timid hare'^ is an animal that de-
mands particular notice, since it occupies much of
the poacher^s attention* The hare is easily cap*
tured in several ways. The common wire snare
has been in use for this purpose for a long succes-
sion of years, and is too well known to need a
particular description. It is merely a wire slip

156 THE gamekecpsb's directory.

noose, placed in the rans mnd menses of these
animals ; and^ when properly set^ will seldom miss
the object. It is made sufficiently large to admit
the head of the hare ; bnt on coming to her
shoulders draws close, and the animal is hanged
in its struggles to escape.

The purse net is also used, and is even laore
certain in its operation than the wire snare. For
example, a small plantation, I will suppose, con-
tains three hares : the poacher examines the fence
of the plantation (in the daytime), and perceives
there are eight meuses or runs into it ; at each of
which he places a net, or rather hangs it upon the
twigs, with the mouth to receive the hare as she
attempts to throw herself through the mouse.
He then enters the plantation (without a dog, for
the purpose of silence), shakes the bushes, &c. ;
the hares are disturbed, make for their accustomed
Tuns, and are certainly taken. The purse net is,
in form, merely a large cabbage net ; except that
the meshes are larger. When the hare throws
herself into the net, finding herself embarrassed,
she pushes, struggUng, forward, by which she be-
comes completely entangled: she makes piteous
lamentation, tiU the poacher hastens up and puts
an end to her existence.

" In some countries (we read) hares are very
numerous ; and from May tmtil August are taken
with a call, which entices them within distance of

OPT POACHING, ETC. 157

sportsmen. The call is a squeaking sound, first
slow and then quicker ; and is supposed to re-
semble the call between the male and the female/'
I never knew a poacher acquainted with this call.
Tracing hares in the snow is a well-known and
a most destructive practice. In this case the poor
animal is traced by its footsteps to its seat ; and,
when found, may be easily shot, caught with any
kind of dog, or even taken with the hand, if the
snow be deep. Hares, in fact, are so conscious of
their incapacity to escape from their enemies in a
deep snow, that they will sometimes continue
under it till they perish from hunger.

But of all methods of taking this animal there
is none more destructive than the ^ate net, I
have heard it said, that if the bottom bars of the
gate be painted white it will prevent the opera-
tion of the gate net. The fact is that this may
prevent the hares from taking the gate for a few
days, or rather nights ; but when they have be-
come famiUarized to the sight or appearance it
loses its effect entirely. A far preferable plan to
this is, to place the lower bars of the gate so close
together that a hare cannot get through them;
which will effectually counteract the operation of
the destructive gate net.

The gate net is sufficiently long (or rather wide)
as to extend the whole length of the gate, and
about a yard deep. It is placed about two or

1

158 THE GAM£K££F£R^8 DIRECTORY.

three feet from the gate on the outside ; the bat*
torn being several inches on the ground ; the top
hung^ as it vrere, in dectining notches or clefts of
two sticks placed at each extremity. What
I mean by the word decUnmg in this place is^ that
the clefts open downwards, so that the net is
merely stuck in, and so lightly that the moment
the hare touches it the net is drawn out, falls on
the animal, and she becomes entangled. Who
was the inventor of the gate net I know not, nor
have I any means of ascertaining ; but he must
have been a cunning and an observant rogue. He
must have become acquainted with the habits of
the ha:re, since he was aware that this animal will
avoid taking the menses at night if possible, uni-
formly preferring the gate, fearful, as it w^-e, of
being entangled in the hedge in the darkness of
night ', as, if there happen to be a plain open gap,
she takes it without hesitation. In the day time
the hare generally prefers the meuse.

Hares, it is well known« have thdr feeding and
their sitting ground. The poacher ascertains, if
possible, the form^. Clover fields are favourite
feeding places, and in a well-stocked manor will
very rarely be found without hares. When the
nocturnal depredator has cfacMsen his field he ap-
proaches it towards ten or eleven o^dbek; and
having ascertained that there are no gaps in the
hedges, places his net at the gate in the manner I

ON POACHINO^ ETC. 150

have deiK^fibed. If there be any gaps or other
.gate places a net is placed at each. He then
throws off his dog (which^ to be perfect, should
run mute), and the hares being alarmed make
^way for the gate or g&pa, where they are taken;
A man is generally stationed at each net, in order
to take oat the hare the moment it is caught and
replace the net for the next comer. Sometimes it
happens that two are caught at once.

For this business something of the bulldog or
mastiff breed is occasionally used, as they are not
much inchned to gire tongue ; but many of these
fellows do not hesitate to make a hole through the
dog's tongue with a hot iron, and thus render him
mute.

Hares may be covered on their seats in the
day time with a net, but it requires some practice
and experience in the mode of approach.

There are few poachers who will not steal upon
manors upon all po»dble occasions, and shoot
either hares or any other kind of game. There is
a fascination in the use of the fowling piece
which is almost irresistible, and the poacher will
run almost any risk for the gratification of this
predominant and ruling passion.

There is a description of persons which do not
come under the denomination of inveterate and
desperate poachers, and are yet to be suspected ; I
allude to the wild-fowl and fen shooters. It is

160 THE gamekeeper's DIRECTORY.

uniformly the case on the borders of fens and
marshes that the peasantry make a sort of trade
of wild-fowl catching, and by which indeed many
of them live. Wild-fowl shooting is not a fashion-
able amusement, and what indeed cannot be re-
garded as the diversion of a gentleman; and
therefore the owners of fens and marshes seldom
hinder the peasantry from catching wild-fowl, or
even shooting them. These men are all fond of
the gun ; and few of them, when in the pursuit
or on the watch for wild-fowl, would hesitate to
shoot a hare, or indeed any kind of game, should
an opportunity present itself for that purpose.
Wild-fowl are difficult of approach during the
day ; and though the stalking horse was formerly
used (and very successfully) for the purpose, it
has been entirely laid aside for years. The wild-
fowl shooter of the present day takes his stand at
early dawn, and also at evening, at some place
where he expects the fowl to pass him. He knows
their haunts, and is seldom mistaken when they
fly for feeding. Their feeding time is morning
and evening, at which periods they get on the
wing, and afford the shooter an opportunity of
trying his skill as they pass to and fro. In the
day time wild-fowl remain on the water, and are
sometimes pursued in small boats made for the
purpose; but are difficult of approach without
some device or deception. Some years since.

ON POACHING, ETC. 161

during a very long and severe frost, vast quantities
of the web-footed tribes, particnlarlj ducks, visited
the river Dee. Large masses of ice and snow
were continuaUy drifting down the river. A wild-
fowl shooter took the hint ; he constructed a sort
of boat or raft, and so contrived the business that
he concealed both himself and his apparatus by
similar masses of ice and snow to those which
were constantly floating down the river. He thui*
approached his game, and by means of a stan-
cheon gun and a fowling-piece or two killed vast
numbers.

wad-fowl, in particular ducks, were formerly
taken by nets, similar to the common lark net.
The nets were, however, concealed by strewing
grass or something of the sort upon them ; the
fowler also who held the cords of the net was con-
cealed, and a decoy duck frequently used. This
method was successful when the birds flew to feed
morning and evening, but it has been entirely
superseded by the use of the fowling-piece.

Those who reside on the borders of fenny lakes
and marshes take abundance of snipes by meana
of small snares made of horsehair: these are
merely hair nooses ; and a number of them being
fastened to a hair-string at a short distance from
each other, they are placed in the runs frequented
by the snipes, and rarely fadl of success. The
fowler, however, is under the necessity of keeping

162 THE gamekeeper's directory.

n yigilant eye upon thoae snarea (which in Lan-
cashire are called panties), as kites are for ever
hovering on the watch ; and if they perceive a
snipe entangled in the absence of the fowler, they
pounce upon the prisoner, and in tearing him
away generally destroy or disarrange much of the
fowler's apparatus. Morning and evening are the
times for this business, and, indeed, for fen birds
and wild-fowl in general; at any other period
little or nothing is to be accomplished, and there-
fore the fowler has only to keep watch at these
times. Not only the snipe, but the ruff and the
reeve, the sandpiper, the purrc, and indeed all fen
birds, and wild-fowl in general, may be taken by
snares, made according to the size and strength of
the bird.

All these fowlers arc, however, uncommonly
fond of shooting ; and whatever success may at-
tend other modes of taking these birds, they are
seldom seen without a gun in their hands. The
use of the fowling piece affords a self-gratification
and pride which is not to be obtained by the most
successful employment of any other means ; and
it may be justly remarked, that the poacher prides
himself as much as the sportsman on the dexterous
and skilful use of the extraordinary engine just
mentioned* These fen shooters become so expert
in the use of the fowling piece that they firequently
bring down the game when the night is so dark

TB£ OABIE LAWS. 163

-that they are unable to see it« The web-footed
tribes moke a considerable ndise with their wings
in flying ; and in such cases the aim is directed
by the ear instead of the eye. A dog is employed
to fetch the game—ra water spaniel. There Are
great quantities of wild-fowl killed on some parts
of the sea-coast, as well as upon the different f(ins
and marshes of the. kingdom.

It will generally be found that poachers during
that period of the year when game is completely
out of season employ much of their time in rob-
bing fish-ponds, which, however, should be care-
fully watched during summer ; for, although the
Avholesale deduction of the net might be pte-
vented by placing stakes in various parts of the
water, yet the preventive is unpleasant, since, as
it opposes the operation of the poacher's net^ pre-
vents the amusement of the proprietor also.

THE GAME LAWS.

The Statute 1 and 2 William IV. chap. 32,
passed October 5th, 1831, having recited ^' that
it is expedient to repeal the following Statutes, Or
so much thereof as is expedient ; viz. : —

" Statute 13 of Richard II, sect. 1, chap. 13, as
far as it relates to persons having or keeping any
greyhound, hound, or other dog, to hunt ; or using

1

164 THE GAHSKEEPSB^S DIRECTORY.

ferrets, pegs, nets, harepipes, cords, or other
engines, to take or destroy hares, conies, or game»

'' Statute 22 of Edward lY. chap. 6, as far as it
relates to having any mark or game of swans.

" Stat. 11 Hen. VII. c. 17.

'' Stat. 19 Hen. VII. c. 11.

" Stat. 14 and 15 Hen. VIII. c. 10.

"Stat. 25 Hen. VIII. ell.

" Stat. 33 Hen. VIII. c. 6.

'' Stat. 23 Eliz. c. 10.

'' Stat. 2 James I. c. 27.

" Stat. 7 James I. c. 11.

'' Stat. 22 and 23 Charles II. c. 25.

'' Stat. 4 William and Mary, c. 23.

" Stat. 5 Anne, c. 14.

'' Stat. 9 Anne, c, 25.

" Stat. 8 Geo. I. c. 19.

'' Stat. 10 Geo. II. c. 82.

" Stat. 26 Geo. II. c. 2.

'' Stat. 28 Geo. II. c. 12.

" Stat. 2 Geo. III. c. 19.

" Stat. 13 Geo. III. c. 55.

" Stat. 13 Geo. III. c. 80.

« Stat. 39 Geo. III. c. 84.

^f Stat. 48 Geo. III. c. 112.

'' Stat. 48 Geo. III. c. 93.

" Stat. 50 Geo. III. c. 67.

" Stat. 58 Geo. III. c. 75.

'' Stat. 59 Geo. III. c. 102.

THE GAME LAWS. 165

^^ And all statutes^ continuing or perpetuating
any of the aforesaid statutes or parts thereof^ so
far as relates to the continuing or perpetuating of
the same respectively/'

The preamble of the Act then enacts the follow-
ing provisions^ in lieu of those of the repealed
statutes.

The second section of the Act enacts that the
word " game^' shall include hares^ pheasants^ par-
tridges^ grouse^ heath or moor game^ black game^
and bustards.

fiy sect. 3^ persons killing or taking game^ or
using any dog^ gun^ net^ or other engine or in-
strument for the purpose^ on Sunday or Christmas-
day^ shall forfeit any sum not exceeding jE5 ; and
persons killing or taking any partridge between
February the 1st and September the 1st; or any
pheasant between February the 1st and October
the 1st ; or any black game (except in Somerset
or Devon, or in the New Forest, Southampton)
between December the 10th and August 20th ; or
in Somerset, Devon, or the New Forest, between
December the 10th and September the 1st; or
any grouse between December the 10th and
August the 12th ; or any bustard between March
the 1st and September the 1st, shall forfeit for
every head of game so killed or taken any sum
not exceeding £1, with costs of conviction. And
persons putting, or causing to be put, with intent

n

166 THE G.V>r£K££F£B^S DIRECTORY.

to destroy or injure any game, any poison or
poisonous ingredient, on any ground, whether
open or enclosed, ^here game usually resort, or in
any highway, shall forfeit any sum not exceeding
£10, with costs of conviction.
. Section 4 enacts that if any person, licensed to
deal in game by this Act, shall buy or sell, or
knowingly have in his house, or possession, or
control, any bird of game after the expiration of
ten days (one inclusive and the other exclusive)
from the respective days in which it is unlawful
to kill or take such birds of game; or if any
person, not being licensed to deal m game, shall
buy or sell any bird of game after the expiration
of ten days (one inclusive and the other exclusive)
from the respective days cm which it is unlawful
to kill or take the same, or shall knowingly have
in his house, possession, or control, any bird of
game (except birds of game kept in a mew <Hr
breeding place) after the expiration of forty days
(one inclusive and the other exclusive) &om the
respective days on which it is unlawful to kill or
take the same, shall forfeit for every head of game
so bought or sold, or found in his house, posses-
sion, or control, any sum not exceeding £1, with
costs of conviction.

But the 5th section provides, that this Act shall
not affect or alter the existing laws respecting
certificates for taking or killing any game what-

THE GAME LAWS. 167

ever^ or any woodcock^ snipe^ quail^ or landrail^ or
any conies^ but that such annual game c^*tificate$
shall be taken out as before. And by the 23rd
section^ if any person shall kill or take any game,
or use any dog, gun, net, or other engine or in-
strument, for the purpose of searching for or
kiUing or taking game, without a certificate, he
shall forfeit for every offence any sum not exceed-
ing £5, with costs of conviction : and such penalty
imposed by this Act shall be deemed a cumulative
penalty to any penalty to which the person so
convicted may be liable under any statute or
statutes relating to game certificates.

By section 6, persons obtaining annual game
certificates may kill and take game, liable to any
trespass committed by them in search or pursuit
of game. But no game certificate on which a less
duty than £4* Os. lOd. has been paid shall autho*-
rize any gamekeeper to kill or take any game, or
to use any dog, gun, or net, or other instrument,
for the purpose of killing or taking^ game, except
within the limits included in his appointment as
gamekeeper; but that if any su^ gamekeeper
shall kill or take game beyond such Umits, he
may be proceeded against as if he had no cer-
tificate.

The 7th section provides, that in all cases where
any person shall occupy any land under any lease
or agreement made before the passing of this Act,

1

168 THE GAMEKEEFER^S DIRECTORY.

except in the cases hereinafter excepted^ the lessor
or landlord shall have the right of entering upon
such land^ or of authorizing any other person or
persons who shall have obtained an annual game
certificate to enter upon such land for the purpose
of killing or taking game thereon; and no person
occupying any land under any lease or agreement^
either for life or for years, made previously to the
passing of this Act, shall have the right to kill or
take the game on such land, except where the
right of killing the game upon such land has been
expressly granted or allowed to such person by
such lease or agreement ; or except where, upon
the original granting or renewal of such lease or
agreement, a fine or fines have been taken; or
except where, in a case of a term for years, such
lease or agreement has been made for a term ex-
ceeding twenty-one years.

But the 8th section provides, that nothing in
this Act shall authorize any person seised or pos-
sessed of, or holding any land, to kill or take the
game, or to permit any other person to do so, in
any case where by deed, grant, lease, or any
written or parole demise or contract, a right of
entry upon such land for the purpose of kill-
ing or taking the game, has been or shall be
reserved or retained by, or given or allowed to
any grantor, lessor, landlord, or other person
whatever; and that nothing in this Act shall

THE GAME LAWS. 169

defeat or diminish any reservation, exception,
covenant, or agreement already contained in any
private Act of Parliament, deed, or other writing,
relating to the game upon any land; or in any
manner prejudice the rights of any lord or owner
of any forest, chase, or warren, or of any lord of
any reputed manor, lordship, or royalty, or of any
steward of the crown of any manor, lordship, or
royalty appertaining to the king.

And the 9th section provides, that nothing in
this Act shall in any way alter or aflfect any of the
king's forest rights, or of any person entitled to
any right or privilege under them, or the rights or
privileges of any person holding under any grants
or purchases from the crown.

The 10th section also provides, that the Act
shall not give to any owner of cattle gates, or
rights of common, any interest or privilege whidd
he did not possess hefore the passing of this Act;
but the rights and privileges in such wastes or
commons shall remain as they did before the
passing of this Act.

The 12th section enacts, that where the lessor
or landlord has reserved to himself the right of
killing game upon any land, he may authorize
other persons, having obtained annual game cer-
tificates, to pursue and kill game thereon.

But where the right of killing the game upon

I

1

170 THE GAMSKEEFER's DIX£CT0R\.

Mijr luiid is bj thiis Act ^ven to any lessor or
landlordl^ in exehukm of the Tight of tlie occupier
of such land^ or where ench exclusive right has
heen^ or shall be^ specialliir reserved by or granted
iOj or briongs to the lessor^ landlord, or any other
person than the occupier^ then^ if the occupier
shall pursue^ kill, or take any game upon such
land^ or give permission to any other person so to
do, without the authority of the lessor, landlord,
or other person having the right of killing game
on such land, such occupier shall forfeit, for every
head of game so killed or taken, any sum not ex-
ceeding £3, with costs of conviction. — Sect. 12.

By section 13, lords of manors, &c., may appoint
gamekeepers within the same, and aiithorize them
to seize and take all dogs, nets, and other engines
and instruments for the killing or taking of game
from uncertificated persons within the limits of
such manors.

By section 14, lords of manors, &c., may grant
such deputations to persons acting as game-
keepers, or employed in any other capacity by
other persons.

The 15th section empowers persons possessed of
lands in Wales of the clear annual value of i6500,
whereof he shall be seised in fee or as of freehold,
or to which he shall otherwise be benefieialiy enti-
tled in his own right, to appoint gamekeepers :

THE GAME LAWS. 171

but the 16th seetioa requii^ all appointoieQts of
gao^keepars to be registered with the clerk of the
peace.

The 17th nectioB enacts^ that every person who
shall have obtained aa annual gasie certificate
may sell game to persons licensed to deal in game
according to this Act; but that no gamekeepa:
on whose certificate a less duty than £4 Os. lOd,
has been {^d sl^l sell any game^ except on the
account and with the written authority of his ei&-
player ; aad that if he does he may be proceeded
against as if he had not had a game certificate.

By the IBth section^ justices of the peace shall
hold special sessions in the present year^ between
the 15th and the 30th days of October ; and in
every succeeding year in the month of July^ for
granting licenses to deal in game to such persons
as are householders or keepers of shops or stalls^
and not being innkeepers or victuallers^ or lieensed
to sell beer by retail, or being owners, guards, or
drivers of mail coaches, or other vehicles employed
in the conveyance of the mails of letters, or of
stage coaches, stage waggons, vans, or <^her pubUc
conveyance, or bdng carriers or higglers, or being
in the employment of any such persons ; whidi
licenjses shall empower the persons to whom they
are granted to buy gimie at any place from any
person who may lawfully sell game by virtue erf
this Act ; and also to sell the same at one house,.

T ^

1 .w

172 THE gamekeeper's dibectobt.

shop, or stall only^ kept by the licensed person ;
provided that every person, while so licensed, shall
affix to some part of the outside of the front of his
house, shop, or stall, and shall there keep a board
having thereon his christian and surname, and the
wotds '' licensed to deal in game/^ Licenses
granted during the present year to continue iu
force to July 15, 1832; but such as are granted
in any succeeding year, to continue in force for
the period of one year next after the granting
thereof. But by section 26, innkeepers and
tavern-keepers may, without any license, sell game
for consumption in their own houses, such game
having been procured from some person licensed
to deal in game by virtue of this Act. And, by
section 21, persons being in partnership, and
carrying on their business at one house, shop, or
stall only require but one license. Licenses be-
come void on conviction of any offence against this
Act.— Sect. 22.

Persons licensed to deal in game under this
Act must annually, and during the continuance of
their license, obtain a certificate on payment of a
duty of j62 to the collector or collectors of the
assessed taxes, from whom they shall receive a
receipt on payment of one shilling ; which receipt
they shall get exchanged for a certificate under
this Act, in like manner as receipts for the duty
in respect of killing game are exchanged for game

THE GAME LAWS. 173

certificates; and if any person obtaining a license
under this Act shall purchase or sell, or otherwise
deal in game as a licensed dealer, before he shall
obtain a certificate in exchange for such receipt^
he shall, for every offence, forfeit £20.

The collectors are to make out lists of persons
who have obtained licenses to deal in game, and
are to produce the same to all persons making ap*
plication at seasonable hours to inspect them, on
payment of one shilling. — Sect. 20.

By sect. 25, if any person not having obtained
a game certificate (except such person be licensed
to deal in game according to this Act) shall sell,
or offer for sale, any game to any person what-
ever ; or if any person authorized to sell game
under this Act shall sell, or offer for sale, any
game to any person whatever, except a person
licensed to deal in game, he shall forfeit for every
head of game so sold, or offered for sale, any sum
not exceeding j82, with costs of conviction.

And if any person, not being licensed to deal in
game according to this Act, shall buy any game
from any person whatever, except from a person,
licensed to deal in game according to this Act, or
bond fide from a person affixing to the outside of
the front of his house, shop, or stall, a board pur«
porting to be the board of a person licensed to
deal in game, he shall for every head of game so

1

174 THE gamekeepek's dibectory.

bonglit forfieit any som not exceeding £5^ witk
<;09t8 of conviction. — Sect. 27.

And if any person, being licensed to deal in
game according to this Act, shall bny car obtain
any game from any person not authorized to sell
game for want of a game certificate^ or for want
of a license to deal in game ; or if any person,
being licensed to deal in game according to this
Act^ sell, or offer for sale, any game at his house,
shop^ or stall, without such board as aforesaid
being affixed to some part of the outside of the
front of such liouse^ shop, or stall, at the time of
such selling or offering for sale ; or shall affix, or
caikse to be affixed, such board to more than one
house, shop, or stall, or shall sell any game at any
place other than his house, shop^ or stall, where
^(uch board shall have been affixed ; or if any per-
son not being licensed to deal in game according
to this Act shall assume or pretend, by affixing
such board, or by exhibiting any certificate, or by
any other device or pretence, to be a person
lieensed to deal in game, he shall, for every
offence, forfeit £10, with costs. (Sect. 28.) But
the buying and selling of game by p^*sons em-
ployed on the behalf of any licensed dealer in
game, and actmg ia the usual eoane of Us em-
plojment, and upon the premises whete axuib. deal-
ing is carried on, is a lawful buying and sellini^ in

THE GAME X^AWf. ITS

cases where the same would have been lawfol if
transacted by the licensed deakr himself. And
licensed dealers may sell any game sent to them
to be sold on account of other licensed dealers.
(Sect. 29.)

The 80th sect, reciting^ that^ as after the com-
mencement of this Act game will become an arti-
cle which may be legally bought and sold^ and
that it is therefore just and reasonable to provide
that summary means should be provided for ]irc»
tecting it from trespassers^ enacts, that any per-
son committing trespasses, by entering or being
in the daytime npon any land^ in search or piu'suit
of game, woodcocks^ &c.^ shall forfeit any sum not
exceeding £2, with costs of conviction ; and that
if any persons, to the number of five or more to-
gether, commit any trespass, by entering in the
daytime upon any land in search of game, &c.,
each of them forfeit not less than £cy with costs of
conviction ; the leave and license of the oocupier of
the land so trespassed upon shall not be a sufficient
defence in any case where the landlord^ lessor, or
other person shall have the right of killing game
upon such land by virtue of any reservation or
otherwise ; but that such landlord, &c., shall, for
the purpose of prosecuting finr each of such two
offences, be deemed to be the legal occuioer of
the land; and that the lord or steward of the
crown of any manor, lordship, or royalty, shall be

1

176 THE gamekeeper's pirectory.

deemed to be the legal occupier of the land of
the wastes or commons within such manor, lord^^
ship, &c.

The 31st sect, enacts^ that if any person shall
be found on any land, or upon any of the crowu
forests, parks, chases, or warrens in the daytime,
in search or pursuit of game, or woodcocks, snipes,
quails, landrails, or conies, any person having the
right of killing the game upon such land, by
virtue of any reservation or otherwise as is pro-
vided for by this Act, or the occupier of the land
(whether there shall or shall not be any such
right by reservation or otherwise), or any game-
keeper or servant of either of them, or any per-
son authorized by either of them, or for the war-
den, ranger, verderer, under-keeper, or other
officer of such forest, &c., may require the person
so found forthwith to quit the land whereon he
shall be so found, and also to tell his name and
place of abode ; and if such person, after being so
required, refuse to tell his real name and place of
abode ; or if he give a description of his place of
abode of so general a nature as to be iUusory, for
the purpose of discovery, the party so requiring
his address, or any person acting by his order and
in his aid, may apprehend him, and convey him,
as soon as conveniently may be, before a magis-
trate ; and the oiSender (whether so apprehended
or not) shall forfeit any sum not exceeding £6,

THE GAME LAWS* 177

with costs of conviction. But no person so appre-«
Landed shall^ on any pretence whatever^ be de-
tained for a longer period than twelye hours from
the time of his apprehension until brought before
a magistrate ; and if he cannot^ on account of
the absence or distance of the residence of the
magistrate^ or on account of any other reason^
able cause^ be brought before a magistrate within
such twelye hours^ then he shall be discharged ;
but may^ nevertheless^ be proceeded against for
the offence by summons or warranty according to
the provisions hereinafter mentioned^ as if no ap«
prehension had taken place.

By the 32nd sect.^ if any persons^ to the num«
ber of five or more together^ shall be found upon
any land^ or in any of the crown forests^ parks,
chases, or Trarrens, in the daytime, in search or
pursuit of game, or woodcocks^ snipes^ quails,
landrails^ or conies^ any of them being armed with
a gun^ and any of them by violence^ intimidation,
or menace^ preventing, or endeavouring to pre-
vent, any person authorized, as hereinbefore men«
tioned, from approaching them for the purpose of
requiring them, or any of them, to quit the land
whereon they shall be so found, or to tell their or
his name and place of abode; every person 8(^
offending, and every person then and there idding
or abetting such offender, shall forfeit for every
offence any sum not exceeding £5, with costs of

I 3

178 THE GAM£K££r£&'s DIRECTORY.

eonviction ; which penidty shall be in addition to^
«oiL independent of^ any other penalty to which
any sneh penon shall be liable for any ofPence
against this Act.

And by sect. S9, if any person commit any
trespass by entering or being, in the daytime,
npon any erown forests, parks, chases, or warrens,
in search or pursnit of game, without being first
doly authorized, he forfeits any sum not exceed-
ing £2, with costs of conviction.

But the S5th sect, enacts that the aforesaid pro-
visions against trespassers and persons found on
any land shall not extend to any person hunting
or coursing upon any lands with hounds or grey-
hounds, and being in fresh pursnit of any deer,
hare, or fox, already started upon any other land ;
nor to any person band fide claiming, and exer*
cising any right or reputed right of free warren
or free chase, nor to any gamekeeper lawfully ap-
pointed within the limits of any free warren or
free chase ; nor to any lord or any steward of the
crown of any manor, lordship, or royalty ; nor to
any gamekeeper lawfully appointed by such lord
or steward within the limits of any manor, &c.

The 36th sect, enacts, that when any person shall
be found, by day or by night, upon any land, or in
any of the crown forests, parks, chases, or warrens,
in search or pursuit of game, and then and there
having in his possession any game which shall ap-

i

THE OAMJB LAWS. 179

pear to have been reeesUy killed^ any p^soii
havmg a right of killing the game upon soch laaid,
by virtue of any resenralion or otherwise, as before
provided for, or the occupier of the land (whether
th^re shall or shall not be such right by reserva-
tioi^ (HT otherwise), or any gamekeeper or servant
of either of them, or any ofi^r, as aforesaid, <tf
any forest, &c., or any person acting by the
order and in aid oi any of the said several per-
sons, may demand from the persons so found the
game which may be in his possession ; and in case
he shall not immediately dehver up the same, may
seize and take it from him, for the use of the per*
son entitled to it.

The 34th sect, defines what shall be deemed
daytime £6r the purposes of the Act, namely, from
the beginning of the last hour before sunrise to
the expiration of the first hour after sunset.

The 24th sect, provides, that if any person not
having the right of killing game upon any land,
nor having permission from the parson having the
right, witfally take out of the nest or destroy in
the nest upon the land the eggs of any bird of
game, or of any swan, wild-duck, teal, or wid*
geon, or knowingly have in his house, shop,
possession, or control, any eggs so taken, he
shall forfeit for every egg so taken or destroyed,
or found in his possessicm, any sum not exceed-
ing 5s., with costs of conviction.

^

180 THE GAMSKXBPSE^S DIBECTOBY.

The remsiiiiiig sections of the Act (viz.^ from
37 to 47 inclusiTe) provide for the applicatdou^of
the penalties for offences against the Act^ the
time of the payment thereof, and the pmods of
imprisonment for non-payment ; the form of con-
yietion; the power of summoning witnesses; the
time for proceedings, and the mode of enforcing
i^>earance ; the appeal, and the venue and pro-
ceedings. The 46th section provides, that the
Act shall not preclude actions for trespass ; but
tiiat, where any proceedings have been instituted
under this Act in respect of any trespass, no
action at law shall be maintainable for the same
trespass. And the 48th section, that the Act
shall not extend to Scotland or Ireland.

From the great injury caused to tenant far-
mers on some estates by the over-preservation of
hares, the Legislature has deemed it advisable to
sanctian iheir being destroyed by occupiers much
on the same terms long previously permitted in
reference to rabbits. For this purpose a measure
was framed, and passed on the 22nd of July, 1848,
11 and 12 of Vie, c. 29, entitled ^^ An Act to ena-
ble Persons having a Right to kill Hares in Eng-
land and Wales, to do so by themselves, or persons
authorized by them, without being required to
take out a Game Certificate.^^ Though not alto-
gether bearing on the gun, it still is sufficiently
so to warrant a summaiy of its provisions here.

THE GAME LAWS. 18l

The statute commenees by declaring that,
from the damage which has been, and is con*
tinnally done^ by hares to the produce of in-^
closed lands^ and the great losses that hare
thereby accrued, and do accrue, to the occu^
piers of such lands, it is expedient that per-
sons in the actual occupation of these lands, or
the owners thereof who have the right of killing
game thereon, should be allowed to take, kill, and^
destroy hares without the obtaining of an annual
game certificate, or the payment of any duties
of assessed taxes which might otherwise be in^
curred 1^ the use of dog, gun, net, or other
engine for that purpose. The Act provides, ae»
cordingly, that any persons in actual occupation
of inclosed lands, or any owner thereof who ha»
the right of killing game thereon, or any person
directly authorized by him in writing according to
the form annexed, shall not, for killing hares, be
liable to any of the penalties in force by divem
laws referring to the duties on game certificates,,
or by other taxes bearing upon the agents used in
killing game. Special mention is made of

48 George III., c. 55,
52 George III., c. 93,
8 and 4 Victoria, c. 17 ;

in all of which penalties consequent on not taking^
out a game certificate, or taxes incurred by the

^

182 THE GAM£K££7£R^8 DIRECTORY.

use of dog^ gnn^ and net^ are repealed^ as &r as
the killing of hares only is concemed^ according
to the conditions already stated^ or more ampli-
fied in foUoMring sections.

The second section of the Act limits the
authority from owner or occupier to one person
only^ at the same time in one parish^ and further
enacts that a copy of this authority shall be sent j

to the Clerk of the Petty Sessions^ who shall enter it
in a register provided for that purpose; this notice
heading good from the time of its date to the 1st *;

of Felmiary foUo^ving, when fresh service will be
required. SkoxQd^ however^ the authority be re-
voked, it is necessary for the owner or occupier
so recalling it to send at once notice of such per-
mission bmng withdrawn to the Clerk of the Petty .
Sessions.

The following is the form of auth(»ity re-
quired : —

I., A. B., do authorize C. D. to kill hares on [''my
lands/' or " the lands occupied by me/' as
the case may be] within the of [here

insert name of the parish or other place, as
the case may be] . Dated this day

of [here insert the day, month, and year] .

(Witness,) A. B. ^

TH£ GAlfE LAWS. 183

Section the third enacts that persons so autho-
rized to kill hares shall not be liable to any duties
of assessed taxes as game-keepers, unless other-
wise chargeable.

By section four the privilege of killing hares
without a certificate is extended to coursing them
with greyhounds, or hunting them with beagles
or other hounds. This exemption reaching to all
persons joining in the pursuit of them by these
means.

Section the fifth protects hares from the lay*-
ing of poison for their destruction, and from the
use of fire-arms or gun of any description by
night.

Section six — " the weak place ^^ in the Act —
suffers this privilege to be got over by private
agreement between landlord and tenant, who may
so, " now and hereafter,^^ bind, and be bound j
any agreement not to take, kill, or destroy any game
upon any lands, debarring the tenant from either
himself or by deputy killing hares as otherwise
provided by the Act.

The eighth section confines the operation of the
measure to England and Wales only, while sec-
tions nine and ten are occupied with the usual
technical detail of terms, &c.

184 THE gamekeepeb's dibectoby.

STEEL MAN-TBAPS.

If it be thought uecessarj to make use of steel
man-traps in the preservation of game^ what is
called the humane trap should be chosen or
adopted ; this merely holds the thief fast^ without
inflicting the injury which cannot fail to result
from the operation of the common trap. To the
professed and dexterous poacher^ however^ the
steel trap presents very little terror : I have known
many of these traps destroyed by poachers. On
such occasions they feel their way in the cover
where the traps are placed with a staff or pole ;
and having thus ascertained its situation they
very easily avoid it, or render it harmless — ^they
often bieak it.

A gentleman whom I very well know placed a
few humane traps in some of his beautiful and ex-
cellent covers. I am not certain what number of
poachers he caught in them, but the following
circumstance occurred: — Amethodist preacher, on
a Sunday, being on his return from a village on
the seacoast, where he had been holding forth, to
a large town at some miles distant, where he
resided, took it into his head to leave the road
and make a shorter cut through the plantations, in

1

STEEL MAN-TRAPS. 185

doing which he was caught in one of the traps.
The keeper very shortly afterwards, in going his
rounds, perceived his sable rusty customer, and
proceeded to inform his master. From the
keeper^s account, the gentleman became aware
that the man caught in the trap had not been
actuated by any design upon his game; but,
nevertheless, directed his steps to the cover (being
only at a short distance), for the purpose of ascer-
taining the rank and quality of the unexpected
prisoner. The matter was soon explained ; but, as
the preacher seemed alarmed, and very anxious to
be set at liberty, the gentleman, who is dearly
fond of a joke, very calmly told him the key of
the trap was lost, and he therefore was unable to
release him. Some little rain was falling at the
time, and altogether the preacher concluded that
the prospect before him was anything rather than
pleasant. For the purpose of heightening the
joke, the gentleman left him to bemoan his fate y
but returned in a few minutes — liberated the
preacher; and the latter no sooner found himself
quite free than he took to his heels, made towards
the canal, got on board the packet, which hap-
pened to be passing, and related the dreadful tale
with all imaginable horrors.

As a sort of general caution, "steel traps ^'
are well enough written up in conspicuous cha*

1

186 THE GAM£&E£P£&'S DIRECTORY.

racters; but^ I am mclined to thiuk^ have little
influence in prev^iting the depredations g( the
poacher.

DOG SPEARS.

These instruments are but little used; and^ in
fact^ it is only in certain situations where they
ean be successfiilly employed against the poacher.
Where canals pass through preserves, they are
very liable to be plundered by the boatmen ; nor
do I think that more savage, ferocious, and more
demoralized rufilans^ and greater thieves, are to be
foimd in the universe than these boatmen. They
are accompanied by dogs; and for these dogs
spears may be successfully employed. The spear
is nothing more than a piece of iron, sharp at the
point, fixed in a wooden block or handle ; this
is placed in the runs or menses in the hedges, but
so high that the hare in passing through goes un-
der the point, but which the pursuing dog receives
in his breast.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS.

Hitherto I have proceeded by dividing my sub-

GENERAL OBSEKVATIOKS, 187

jects^ or rather perhaps classing them under
different heads or sections^ which appeared the
most eligible method in this work^ as it possesses
the undeniable advantage of rendering it more
lucid and more distinctly intelligible ; but in ap-
proaching the close of the book a few observations,
by way of finish, will make it more complete,
which however, from their general or desultory
nature, render particular division superfluous and
unnecessary.

In the first place it may be remarked that,
in the execution of almost any office there is a
pleasant and an impleasant mode of performing
it ; and therefore I strongly recommend the former
to keepers, particularly as it may be accomplished
without the least relaxation of that unceasing
vigilance so indispensable to the correct and effec-
tive discharge of the duty of a gamekeeper. Above
all, gamekeepers should cultivate the goodwill and
esteem of the farmers, since the latter are able to
injure the game to a most destructive extent,
without much risk of absolute detection. At the
same time the farmer, when on good terms with
the keeper, will not fail to look out not only for
prc^essed poachers, but for trespassers of every
description ; thus saving the latter much trouble
and vexation, as well as preserving his game.
And I must confess that I have fotmd keepers

188 THE gamekeeper's dibectoby.

dvil and obliging^ with only two excepticms* In
the year 1828^ having permission to shoot on the
manor of a neighbouring nobleman^ I was met on
the ground by the principal and the second
keeper. The latter I had known many years ; a
simple^ civil man^ but a good servant^ an excellent
keeper in whatever relates to the preservation of
game^ and who is at present sendng one of the
most liberal and best masters in England. The
principal or head keeper was a stranger^ whose
appearance did not indicate that sort of character-
istic which exhibited the genuine man of business.
His garb; his ridiculous tone of authority — inisiCt,
his manner altogether^ at the first glance^ mani-
fested with more than ordinary force the ignorant,
the quaint; the presumptuous^ yet vulgar and low*
minded coxcomb. And; if preliminary observa-
tion thus made no very favourable impression; the
subsequent conduct of this fellow was by no means
calculated to remove or improve it. " Sir," said
he to mC; ''beat that field while I sit on the bank
and read the newspaper .^^ "When he very delibe-
rately took his seat and drew forth the oi^n of
intelligence. To be brief; had it not been for the
civil attention of the under-keeper I must have
quitted the ground in ^disgust. I visited the
same manor the following year (1829); when
this impertinent jackanapes met me; I was

OENBKAL OBSEKTATIOHS. 189

not able to endure him^ it was bejrond human
patience. I returned in diigust in a few
minutes.

I once met with an unpleasant keeper, of an*
otheat description : this^ too^ was the senrant of a
nobleman. He was suily and nnciTil: he was
evidently of a savage disposition : his countenance
wore the most assassin-like aspect I ever behdd.
I have come in contact with many keepers in
various parts of the kingdom^ but never had
the least reason to be dissatisfied with their
conduct except in the instances mentioned
above.

Having in the early part of this work drawn
the attention of gamekeepers to cats^ and in par-
ticular to wild cats, I will in this place make a
few remarks on dogs (including wild dogs)^ as far
as relates to the destruction of game. It may
very easily be perceived, even by those who have
paid but slight attention to the subject, that aU
dogs pursue game of every description. They
pursue it, as it were, by instinct; they pursue it
eagerly; and the pursuit of it evidently affords
them the greatest possible gratification: conse-
quently all dogs will destroy game, if an oppor-
tunity presents itself for that purpose. Some of
these animals are quite incapable of extensive
mischief; but most of the mongrels and curs are

190 THE GAM£K££?£B's DIRECTORY.

to be suspected. The terrier^ tbe slu&plierd^s dog,
and the lurcher^ are capable of serious dqnreda-
tions ; particularly the latter : and I have known
even mastiffs pursue and destroy hares. Dogs of
this description, however, while they remain at
home, will do no injury ; but if they contract the
habit of rambling into the fields they will seldom
want the countenance and encouragement of their
owner or master to induce them to pursue and
destroy game. If dogs are suffered to ramble in
the fields during the breeding season they will
make sad havoc, not only with leverets, but with
pheasants and partridges ; and they will devour
either eggs or young birds. But the wild dog is
most to be dreaded. A case of this kind seldom
occurs it is true; but it sometimes hajqpens, as
the following will show. It may be justly re-
marked, that of all '^animals that have been
reclaimed icom a state of nature, no one has ever
become so effectually domesticated, so sagacious^
or, if I may be allowed the expression^ so com-
pletely identified with the cause of his master, as
the dog; yet there are not wanting instances
where this useM animal has manifested a disposi-
tion to abandon civilized society, and assert his
native independence. Four j'^ears ago (1821) a
black greyhound bitch, the property of Mr. John
Ileaton, of Scarisbrick, Lancashire, left her mast^.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONS. 191

Ibrsook the habitation where slie had been reared^
betook herself to the fields and thickets^ and
adopted a life of unlimited freedom^ defying all
the i^estraints of man. In this state she killed a
great number of hares for food, and occasionally
made free with the sheep ; she therefore very soon
became a nuisance in the neighbourhood. She
had taken her station at two miles^ distance from
her master^s house, and was generally found near
this spot. In consequence of her depredations
many attempts were made to shoot her, but in
vain : she eluded for more than six months the
vigilance of her pursuers. At length she was ob-
served to go into a bam, which stood in a field
which she frequented. She entered the building
through a hole in the wall ; and, by means of a
rope snare, was caught as she came out. On
entering the bam three whelps were found, about
a week old ; so that in her savage state she had
evidently been visited by a male of her own
species. The whelps were, foolishly enough, de-
stroyed; but as the bitch herself evinced the
utmost f^ocity, and, though well secured, ^^inly
attempted to seize every person that approached,
she was taken home and treated with the utmost
kindness. By degrees her ferocity abated; and
in the course of two months she became perfectly
reconciled to her original abode. Last season

n

192 THE GAMEKEEPEB^S DIRECTORY.

(1822) I saw her run several courses. There is
still a wildness in her looks ; but although at
perfect liberty she does not attempt to stray
away^ but seems quite reconciled to a domestic
life/*

Many other instances of wild dogs might be
quoted; but the preceding is sufficient for the pre-
sent purpose.

A mastiff or Grerman boar dog^ presented
by the Prussian General Bulow to an English
gentleman^ was afterwards given to one of this
gentleman^s tenants as a house dog. I saw this
dog many times. He was as large as our largest
English mastiffs^ and almost^ if not quite as heavy^
but more active ; with a very large head. This
dog took to running hares, and generally killed
them. He possessed exquisite olfactory organs^
or sense of smell. He would hunt up a hare^ and
when she had run out of his sight he put his nose
to the ground^ and carried on the scent as regu«*
larly as a southern hound^ but with moire expedi-
tion.

Dogs are much less employed by poachers of
the present day than formerly : their whole system
may be said to have experienced great improve-
ment^ or^ at leasts alteration ; and they therefore
do not stand so much in need of the assistance of
this faithful animal. These fellows may use the

<»SN2:itAL OfiS^RVATIOXS. 198

dog for nmning hares into the gate net, or the
purse net, or the wire snare : as a hare is thus
sooner and more certainly captured. But the
partridge and the pheasant are taken without his
assistance — and, indeed, so may hares, as I have
ah*eady shown in preceding pages ; yet I well
know that shooting in the daytime is a great
favourite with all descriptions of poachers, on
which occasions they may be seen accompanied
by pointers or setters. They thus appear on
ground not preserved; and also embrace every
possible opportunity of stealing-in upon preserved
manors.

Having pointed out in the course of the prece-
ding pages the most eligible and the best methods
of preserving game from the depredations of
vermin, it will be the keeper's own fault if it
suffers much from them ; for, however nimierous
vermin may be, the means of destroying them
are so effectual, and so plainly pointed out, that
nothing more than ordinary attention is necessary
to attain the desired object. But in regard to the
poacher the subject presents a different aspect.
Man is much more than a match for every living
creature except his own species; and as, in the
case of the poacher, the wiles and cunning of one
man are matched against tho^e of another, the
issue is more doubtful. I have shown that the

^

194 THE OAMEKEEPER^S DIRECTORY.

operations of the poacher may be impeded and
obstructed in the absence of the keeper or his
assistant ; but at the same time it should be im-
pressively kept in mind that nothing but the most
active vigilance can firustrate his more audacious
and more ferocious proceedings.

THE END.

<?.

Pftat«d bj /oMph Rogenon, 846, Strand, Loado*.