THE LIBRARY

OF

THE UNIVERSITY
OF CALIFORNIA

PRESENTED BY

PROF. CHARLES A. KOFOID AND
MRS. PRUDENCE W. KOFOID

THE KEEPER'S BOOK

First Impression, January 1904

Reprint, February 1904.

Reprint, April 1904

Revised and Enlarged, August igob

Reprint, August 1906

Reprint, June 1909

Enlarged and Rewritten, August 1910

THE KEEPER'S BOOK

A GUIDE TO
THE DUTIES OF A GAMEKEEPER

SEVENTH EDITION
REWRITTEN AND ENLARGED

BY

P. JEFFREY MACKIE

AUTHOR OF "EMPIRE" ETC. ETC.

WITH SPECIAL CHAPTERS BY

LORD MALISE GRAHAM, CAPTAIN H. SHAW KENNEDY

DR. CHARLES REID, H. BURN-MURDOCH, ADVOCATE

P. D. MALLOCH, F. G. AFLALO, HENRY LAMOND

TOM SPEEDY, AND OTHERS

T. N. FOULIS

21 PATERNOSTER SQUARE, LONDON

15 FREDERICK STREET, EDINBURGH

1910

THIS SEVENTH EDITION

IS

DEDICATED
TO THE

BOYS OF SCOTLAND

PREFACE TO THE SEVENTH
EDITION

THE issue of the SEVENTH EDITION, revised, rewritten,
and enlarged by several new articles, is gratifying proof
that the interest in sport still continues, notwithstanding
the changed times in which we live.

Originally intended for gamekeepers, it must be
confessed the success of the book is not due to their
patronage ; indeed, excepting in the case of a few, it
has, I fear, incurred the displeasure of the whole pro-
fession. The average Scotch gamekeeper dislikes
books, and thinks that he has nothing to learn from
them, and although many masters have bought the
book, and made a present of it to their keepers, and in
many instances placed it on the Bothy Library, it has
not evoked any enthusiasm. My outspoken language,
about which there can be no mistake, has in many cases
given great oftence, but, much as I regret this, I have
nothing to withdraw or retract. On the subject of
Game Preserving much has been learned since the issue
of the First Edition, and opinions have changed on

viii PREFACE

many subjects, necessitating the rewriting of the book.
Nothing stands still nowadays except stupidity.

A demand has sprung up for The Keeper s Book
which was not anticipated : to a considerable extent
it is being read by schoolboys and the youth of the
country. To be a thorough sportsman you must start
young ; but if you are to be master of your own shoot,
you must also be well grounded in the rudiments and
spadework of gamekeeping, otherwise you will be
imposed upon, as so many are at present. Every boy,
before he is allowed to shoot in company, should have
a thorough knowledge of the art of driving, beating,
stopping, and the whole science of the game. H e should
also know natural history, and habits of all game and
vermin. This knowledge can best be acquired by
practical experience, and with his superior education
and powers of observation a boy will soon acquire a love
of the study of game-preserving, which to the working-
man may merely be a duty and means of livelihood.
Boys should be encouraged to accompany the keeper
on his rounds ; much information may be thereby
gained.

It is a pity that the tendency of the people is to
flock to the towns, and that our school teaching is not
more practical. The main object of our system of
National Education should be to prepare mankind
for the work which they intend to perform in the world.
Children intended for a country life should be taught
natural history, agriculture, the origin and the use of

PREFACE ix

the objects which they see in their everyday surround-
ings. An interest and love of rural affairs would thus
be engendered, and they would be more content to live
in the country. In towns, good technical schools ought
to be provided for the paid workers as well as for the
employers. The capitalist plays a great part in the
world, but he might still play a greater part if he were
trained in the potentialities of the business to which he
intends to devote himself.

At present, country children are educated to town-
ward ambitions, and town children to ambitions and
aspirations, far above their capabilities, except in
isolated cases of specially strong individualities.

Many of the absurd prejudices which we Britons
have hugged for years are fast disappearing. None
is more noticeable in this respect than the position
assumed by many landed proprietors, that to know any-
thing of, or to be in business, was not compatible with
being a gentleman ; but to them sport was everything.
The effects have been disastrous. Many of the pro-
fessions have tried the same game and failed. It is
only now dawning upon many that work is no
degradation ; this is being forced on us by our trade
rivals the Americans and Germans, who have been
gaining ground on us while we have been playing, and
who look upon our silly standard of form, with silent
pity and contempt. Let us be logical : we cannot live
without money, and the only way to make it nowadays
is to work for it ; and the harder we work, the more

x PREFACE

need there is for recreation and sport. Therefore, for
the future, it looks as if sport is to be for the workers,
and not for the idlers.

Let the younger generation get rid of the idea that
work is infra dig., or bad form ; the true criterion of a
gentleman should be his conduct and character — not
his trade or profession. Britain is still whole at heart,
and our Empire is only yet in its infancy. We are now
awake, and there are vast fields of enterprise for honest
workers undeveloped. The lazy, dishonest doctrine of
the Socialist — that robbing the rich will make the poor
richer — has no hold on the educated sane thinkers of
the country. Success in anything requires self-reli-
ance, energy, and thrift, and if our youth, whether in
sport or business, cultivate these virtues and maintain
a high standard of honour, there is little fear of Britain
degenerating into a nation of State-fed paupers — which
is the logical conclusion of the Socialist's doctrine.

I acknowledge my indebtedness to the many sports-
men who have received the book so kindly, and while
differences of opinion exist on many of the theories,
yet this is so on all subjects. I have no wish to escape
criticism ; the object of the book is to encourage investi-
gation and draw out the experience of others. There
are several new articles which should prove of interest.
I am very much indebted to my friend F. G. Aflalo,
with whom I fished for sharks while on a journey to
Australia some years ago ; I commend his articles
on deep-sea fishing, on which he is an experienced

PREFACE xi

and much-esteemed writer. There is no doubt that
sea fishing is much neglected, though there can be
got from it much sport with little trouble, while it will
furnish very often, a pleasant change to a houseful of
guests, and give a rest to the moor and fresh-water loch.

Another new chapter is that of Fish Hatching, by
Mr. Henry Lamond, Secretary of the Loch Lomond
Fishing Association. A hatchery is a necessity on all
rivers where a sufficient stock of fish is to be main-
tained. The most economical way to stock waters is
by a small hatchery, and much could be done by this
means, especially in the Highlands, where the waters
are too often neglected. The formation of Fishing
Clubs, with small bungalows where members could stay
a few days, would form pleasant retreats from the busy
world. It is surprising that more of these do not exist
in Scotland. Canada and America are more practical,
and have many of these small clubs.

We are yearly increasing our knowledge on the sub-
ject of salmon, and such questions which periodically
crop up in the sporting papers, as " Do salmon feed
in freshwater?" " Do adders swallow their young ?"
etc. etc., will soon be settled points. Mr. Malloch's
most excellent book, just published, on the History
and Habits of the Salmon, Sea Trout, and other Fresh-
Water Fish should be read by all fishermen. He
has added much to our knowledge of the fish tribe.

My suggestion in the Preface of the last edition
regarding an inquiry into the grouse disease has

xii PREFACE

borne no fruit. From The Field, however, the writer
notices that Dr. A. E. Shipley has made some interest-
ing discoveries regarding the external and internal
parasites of the grouse. (See chapter on Diseases of
Game.)

The article on Dogs by the late Dr. Charles Reid
remains the same. I cannot improve it, and since the
last edition was written this gentle and charming com-
panion has gone to the great Unknown Land. No one
who knew him in his football days, with his big, burly
figure, would have thought that he would be taken so
soon. He was one of the most gentle and lovable of
men.

The Scottish Retriever Trials Association is
worthy of more support than it receives, and although
good retrievers are more numerous than they were,
they are still too scarce. Sir Mitchell Thomson as
President of this Society has done much to stimulate
keepers giving more attention to this indispensable
dog.

Forestry is attracting more attention in Scotland,
and an Association of Proprietors has been formed to
engage an expert who will advise the foresters of those
proprietors who are members of the Association. The
Association supplies a want, and we are indebted to
the Laird of Largie for its inception. While we in this
country are behind the Germans in Planting, Sylvi-
culture, and Forestry, it is questionable, owing to the
long wait for returns, whether planting in quantity will

PREFACE xiii

ever become popular in Great Britain, or if it can ever
employ a great number of men. That planting in-
creases fertility of the soil, and is necessary for shelter,
there can be no doubt. Most proprietors, if only for
game shelter purposes, should encourage planting on
their properties, and should assist the movement by
joining the Landowners' Co-operation, of which John
D. Sutherland, factor, Oban, is secretary. The
annual subscription is two guineas.

I am unwilling to refer to politics in a book which
deals entirely with sport, but in these socialistic times,
when the State dominates our existence, curtails our
liberties, and makes us mere slaves, cannot refrain
from expressing how necessary it is that landowners
and others interested in sport should take a sensible
view, and interest themselves in local affairs, and
thus create a better understanding with their neigh-
bours. This will help to remove the present bad
feeling.

Landowners are surprised at the socialistic ideas
expressed by the people, and the unfair attitude shown
towards property ; but they have themselves to blame ;
and the views held by the people, whether real or
assumed, have grown owing to the neglect of the land-
owning class. Much of the discontent in the country
arises from the poor condition existing in agriculture,
and low prices, resulting from the free importation
of foreign produce. Country people not understand-
ing this, and townspeople looking to their own in-

xiv PREFACE

terests for cheap food, blame the landlords and the
land laws, and raise the shout, " The Land for the
People." The real remedy is Tariff Reform. It is
manifestly unfair that agriculturalists paying high taxa-
tion should be exposed to the competition of foreign
imports, which pay no rates and taxes. Proprietors
and others would help greatly to remedy this unfortu-
nate state of matters if they would take some trouble
to encourage co-operation and better organisation for
the disposal and sale of Home Produce. The en-
couragement of the Scottish Agricultural Organisation
Society Ltd., 5 St. Andrew Square, Edinburgh, is
doing good work in fostering the erection of bacon
factories, co-operative dairying and egg societies, all
of which go to encourage thrift and method with
business habits amongst the peasantry and farmers, and
at the same time find better sale for their produce.
With the advent of Tariff Reform would come the
opening of flour mills now long silent, which would
supply cheaper offal and stuffs for the feeding and
fattening of cattle and pigs in this country. It will be
seen, therefore, that it is to the advantage of proprietors
and large farmers, as well as others interested in agri-
culture, to encourage these objects with the view to
bringing back to the country contentment and renewed
prosperity.

It cannot be said that land is over-rented ; few in-
vestments show so poor a return as land, and one is in-
finitely better with his money in Consols, being saved

PREFACE xv

all worry and responsibility. In taking the returns for
the County of Argyll, it will be found that the rental
of agricultural land in 1906-07 as compared with
1876-77 is reduced from ,£302763 to ^168760, show-
ing a loss of £"134-003, leaving only 5574 per cent, of
the rental of 1876, or a loss of 44-22 per cent. This
is very serious, and is entirely due to our bad business
system of free imports. The capital loss at twenty-
five years' purchase is ,£3340-325 : at twenty years'
purchase, £"2672-260. Then rates have all increased.
Poor, Sanitary, Road, and County in 1855 amounted to
^3*345 ; in 1905* including school rates, they amounted
to ^77,000, or an increase of 245 per cent, over those
imposed in 1855 : surely land is no monopoly, nor is
over-rented.

To the boys of Scotland, to whom this volume is
dedicated, I would finally say, you are the trustees of
posterity. Tariff Reform in a nut-shell is summed up in
the following unanswerable arguments :—

Production is the primary source of wealth.

The home producer pays local and Imperial taxa-
tion, averaging from 10 to 15 per cent, on his
produce.

Imports from abroad pay us no taxation. There
can be therefore no protection to the home producer
till foreign imports pay the same rates of taxation
for the use of the market as the home producer
pays.

At present the foreigner has the protection in this
*

xvi PREFACE

country, not the home producer, and in justice this
state of affairs should be remedied, and the home pro-
ducer put on an equal footing with the foreigner — that
is all we ask.

Why does the present fiscal system exist ? selfish-
ness, greed. The townspeople want cheap food, even if
it is at the expense of the county population, and they
are backed up by large chemical, cocoa, and other
employers who want cheap labour ; also subsidised
by money from foreigners who are naturally anxious
not to lose the only free market they have abroad
wherein to dump their surplus goods.

The evils that ensue are depopulation of county
districts, degeneracy of the race, overcrowding of
cities, need of emigration of our finest blood and sinew,
etc. etc., and for all these evils, the Free Traders
offer sham remedies, anything but the real one, because
it affects their pockets. Any saving in the cost of food
by the many, is more than counterbalanced by the loss
of work and wastage to the nation, and which must
be made up by extra taxation in other ways ; it is
six and half a dozen. The following extracts from
the Daily Mail are worthy of consideration and
adoption : —

" The administration of public finance nowadays is
a science and a business. It calls for trained administra-
tors who will devote not only their whole time to it but
their whole energy and skill. They should have no
political entanglements, and least of all any electioneer-

PREFACE xvii

ing crazes. A non-political Budget, prepared and ex-
plained by fiscal experts, would be a welcome change
from the parliamentary muddling of the past twelve
months. A very brief experience of it would make
people wonder how they could ever have left the
finances of the Empire at the mercy of voluble talkers
without a shred of practical experience. If they are to
be saved from increasing chaos they will have at no
distant date to be put under proper guardianship. And
if the taxpayer is to be delivered from the tyranny of
ignorant and inconsiderate taxation he must have an
appeal from official caprice to independent and impartial
tribunals."

TAKING THE BUDGET OUT OF POLITICS

" In short, it might in due time deliver our financial
and fiscal policies from political amateurs and put them
in charge of trained administrators. This is an ideal
toward which the principal nations of the world are
half-consciously advancing. To take the Budget and
the tariff out of politics altogether is now the common
aim of German, French, and American statesmen.
Previous to Mr. Lloyd George's time that idea had not
taken shape in this country, but his Budget of 1909
has given it a great fillip. Business finance has got
to come. Taxation to the tune of 1 50 or 1 60 millions
sterling a year cannot go on much longer as a political
game, taking its chance among the ups and downs of

ILLUSTRATIONS

Front Photographs by
CHARLES REID, WISHAW.

P. JEFFREY MACKIE, ESQ. (from a Photograph] . . Frontispiece

A POACHER ...... Facing page 36

GLENREASDELL KENNELS —

PLAN ....... Page 98

FRONT ELEVATION . . . . . . ,, 99

CROSS SECTION . . . . . . ,, 100

VIEWS OF KEEPER'S HOUSE AND KENNELS AT GLENREAS-
DELL, ARGYLLSHIRE .... Facing page 100

THE HUNTER'S FRIEND AND THE KEEPER'S FOE . . ,, 108

A CABINET OF ROBBERS . . . . . ,,122

WAITING FOR THE GUNS . . . . . ,, 152

DRAWING ........,, 174

FERRETING . . . . . . „ 260

A QUIET CORNER ....... 296

A SPRING FISH .......,, 344

CROSSING THE RIVER . . . . . ,, 376

Luss HATCHERY-
PLAN SHOWING ARRANGEMENT OF HATCHING BOXES
AND WATER SUPPLY • Page 420

THE KEEPER'S BOOK

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

SOME years ago one of the writers visited a school in
the West Highlands, and having listened for some time
to a cross-examination of one of the senior classes in
history, he expressed a desire to present a prize to the
boy who showed the best powers of observation and
definition in description thereof. Amongst the questions
addressed to the class was the one, " What is a game-
keeper ? " and an answer he received from a bright-eyed,
sandy-haired Celt of about ten years of age was, " A big
man who goes about in a braw suit of tweeds, wi' a dog
and a gun and does naethinV Now, though out of the
mouths of babes and sucklings we are apt to perfect
wisdom, we must not, of course, attempt tojustify humour
at the expense of justice. The little Highlander's answer
was very much on the line of the street boy's definition of
a Club as " A house where gentlemen read newspapers
on Sunday," although there is more of real truth in the

2 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

latter than in the former reply. Both, however, indicate
a real impression that had been made upon two fairly
observant youngsters, and neither reply is to be despised
as an unsuitable subject for reflection.

It must be admitted that there are many keepers
whose chief occupation up till the I2th of August, or
even till the ist of September or the ist of October,
seems to consist in going about with a dog and a gun
and in virtually doing nothing — that is, nothing of real
value to the shooting under their control. In no other
class of men do we find such extremes, on the one hand
of skill, energy, and efficiency, and on the other of
stupidity, laziness, and incapability. Taking the pro-
fession as a whole, and regarding it as a department of
skilled labour, we must admit, though in doing so the
admission gives offence, that it does not in the main
reach the uniform efficiency of other skilled labour.

The fact that an outstanding minority of keepers
are more than efficient, and combine the qualities of
patient and intelligent keepers of ground and stock
with all the instincts and capacities of thorough sports-
men, does not get rid of the truth of the general
criticism. Of course no one would insult the pro-
fession of gamekeeping by placing it in the same
category with any branch of unskilled labour in the
industrial community. It is because we believe the
duties of a keeper demand a high standard of observa-
tion, skill, patience, and energy, that we have to admit
the failure, in the common run of the profession, to

INTRODUCTION 3

reach that standard. Viewing them on the moral side
alone, we are only too willing to recognise that for
probity and general temperance gamekeepers compare
favourably with any other section of society. In fifty
per cent, of cases they are sober, honest, good-tempered,
and naturally generous, and to all these qualities they
add, as a rule, an exceptionally keen sense of humour.
But, considering the responsibilities of their profession,
the percentage of efficient and trustworthy workmen is
infinitely smaller than the figure quoted above.

This book is written for "all good keepers who
know their work, and for the indifferent ones who do
not." How competent a person, as a rule, is the good
keeper who knows ! He is not only a grand sports-
man, but a splendid servant — a man who knows nearly
everything that is to be learnt of the habits and
habitats of game, and of the necessary methods to
manage and improve the ground, stock, and shootings
under his care, and yet is always on the outlook to learn
more. The really first-class keeper is a precious jewel
in the crown of sport — a man who often puts to shame
the knowledge and skill of a well-read and keenly
observant master, and this capable servant is the man
of all others who deplores the fact that the status of
his profession is lowered by men with the sporting
knowledge of farm labourers, the energy of vagabond
hucksters, the initiative of village loons — and who are
thoroughly convinced that they know everything.
It has been said that the ideal keeper combines

4 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

skill with energy, but even in good keepers the com-
bination is rare. An ideal keeper, in our view, would
combine the sporting capacities of the Highlander with
the energy and perseverance of the Lowlander. The
first has probably more insight and general intelligence,
the latter more initiative and energy. As Mr. Stuart
Wortley has so aptly said : " Highlanders are, as all
the world knows, a very fine race of men, courageous
and loyal, courteous and amiable — they make the best
sportsmen and the best soldiers in the world ; but they
are neither so practical nor so energetic under ordinary
conditions as the northern Englishman, and laziness is
their great failing."

The fact of the matter is that the Highlander is
a born hunter, and the descendant of a long line of
hunters. His ancestors having been brought up under
the clan system, "blue" blood runs in his veins, and
his instincts are still strong for fighting and hunting,
not for butt-building and draining. He is a lineal
descendant of men of the type of Maclean of Ardgour,
" strong Donald the hunter, Macgillean Mohr."

Low down by yon burn that's half-hidden with heather,

He lurked like a lion, in the lair he knew well,
'Twas there sobbed the red-deer to feel his keen dagger,

There pierced by his arrow, the cailzie cock fell.
How oft when at e'en he would watch for the wild fowl,

Like lightning his coracle sped from the shore ;
But still, and for aye, as we cross the lone Lochan,

Is Donald the hunter Macgillean Mohr.

Time and circumstances of civilisation have done
much to modify the Highland spirits and instincts, but

INTRODUCTION 5

the independence, pride, and tradition, which make a
Highlander naturally antagonistic to that manual labour
which is a necessary accompaniment of a gamekeeper's
duties, still remain to a marked extent, especially
amongst the keepers of the Western Highlands and
Islands. Let one of these latter have a gun or rod in
his hand, or let him be spying out your deer in the
forest or tracking your birds on the moor, and there is
no man in the world to compare with him ; but put him
to drain your water-soaked ground, repair or rebuild
your butts, or to do any of the innumerable prosaic
duties inseparable from a gamekeeper's responsibilities,
and he is not to be compared either with the Yorkshire
or Norfolk keeper, nor with the man from the Lothians.

The pride and exigencies of race, which have con-
fined the Highlander's instincts to hunting and fighting,
also assert themselves in a marked way in his relations
to his master. If the latter is "the laird," one of a
line of fifty Campbells, a hundred Mackintoshes, or a
thousand Grants, then the Highlander is a much more
satisfactory workman than if his master is a " Sas-
senach," or comes of a branch of whom he still virtually
regards as an alien people. In the former case he is
one of a family, in the latter he has an instinctive feel-
ing of resentment in being reduced to a position of
mere servitude. He is slow to come into touch with
modern social conditions.

But though these reflections may be allowable, it is
dangerous to generalise more, and while admitting the

6 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

marked distinctions between Highlander and Low-
lander, it would be idle to shoot their characters into
separate pigeonholes. We have in our mind many
Highland keepers, who combined keen sporting
instincts and capacities with indomitable energy and
perseverance in the pursuit of their more irksome
duties ; and we also recall many Lowlanders and
English shire keepers who were preternaturally lazy.

It is to be regretted that the qualities of charm and
laziness so often go together. Some of the most
interesting keepers we have known have been the
most indolent. We remember one particular keeper
in Perthshire, whose knowledge of sport and whose
facility for narrative made of him a fascinating com-
panion in the chase, yet who invariably neglected such
duties as the killing of vermin, the digging out of
springs, the proper burning of heather, and the hundred
little duties for which more especially he was paid. Of
course he knew all about the rights and wrongs of these
matters, but, in dealing with these questions, he spoke
in the vaguest generalities, and rapidly turned the con-
versation to some famous day on the hill when late in
the season " the Captain," his master, killed forty brace
to his own gun, or to a story of some record stalk in
the forests of Ross-shire or Aberdeenshire. There was
not an experience of our own that he could not cap
with a story of brilliant shooting on his old master's
part, and equally skilful manoeuvring on his own, and
his exploits were all told with such a power of pictur-

INTROD UCTION 7

esque description that any criticism of his constant
disregard of the moor and stock improvement was
disarmed. The net result of this keeper's inequalities
has been a sad deterioration of the shooting capacities
of the moor which was under his control — a deteriora-
tion, which it will take many years for a new, and pro-
bably more reticent, keeper to correct. The particular
moor in question is loaded with vermin, the heather is
long and rank, the springs are clogged with under-
growth, and a thousand-acred shooting now realises
about ten brace of grouse a year. In our younger days,
before we began to understand the science of maintain-
ing a moor as breeding ground for grouse, we considered
this old keeper infallible. He could cast a better line
than any man we met : he seemed to know the actual
capacity of every fly. We can vouch to the brilliance
of his shooting, to his knowledge of the habits and
haunts of birds, and to his skill in leading his master
through the intricacies of the most difficult stalk, and
it is sad that we have now to dethrone him from the
pedestal on which we had placed him, when we view
in cold blood the inefficiencies of his character as a
responsible keeper.

Let it be frankly admitted that the responsibility
for the prevalence of inefficiency lies, to a great extent,
at the door of the owners or occupiers of the shootings.
There has been and there is too little recognition of the
services of good keepers. There is not sufficient sliding
in the scale of wages to urge on the keeper in general

8 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

to improve his knowledge and his capacity for work*
Remuneration for labour is conducted on all too stereo-
typed lines : the efficient keeper is generally paid the
same wage as the inefficient. There is too little recog-
nition of superiority and too little condemnation of the
reverse ; and this being the case, the result is obvious.
The keeper has little stimulus to improvement, outside
his own personal self-respect, and in consequence the
standard of general efficiency is kept lower than it
should be.

Much of the inefficiency of the keeper is also due to
the ignorance or indifference of the master. Want of
supervision from either of these causes is certain to lead
to slackness, and this is bound to lead also to deteriora-
tion of sport. But it must be pointed out that, if the
ignorance or carelessness of a master may account for a
keeper's slackness and inefficiency, it does not excuse
it. Even taking the master on the highest plane, he
can seldom be more than a very good amateur. The
keeper is, or ought to be, a specialist. Within the
limits of his duties, a keeper should know all that is to
be known, and, in the majority of cases, should know
infinitely more than his master. Not only should he
be independent of any chance instruction from his em-
ployer, but he should be in the position when called
upon to do so, to give advice and convey information at
all points. In fact, the highest state of perfection can
only be reached if a keeper bases his knowledge and his
work on the possibility of his master being an absolute

INTRODUCTION 9

ignoramus on all matters, not even excepting the
handling of a gun.

The relationship between master and keeper varies
largely on all shootings. In some cases the former
takes little or no concern with the details connected
with the improvement and management of his ground
and stock, and is only concerned with the sport of the
days on which he or his friends may shoot. In other
cases the master assumes the direction of, and dictation
on, all matters affecting his sport, and requires that his
keeper should make him conversant with every step he
takes in the pursuit of his calling.

Between these two extremes are found masters,
whose interest and attention are keen on some, and in-
different on other points. It is chiefly in dealing with
the latter cases that the keeper will have to use any
discretion and tact he possesses, discerning when and
where he is expected to seek or give advice, and when
and where this is not required of him. In those cases
where the masters virtually assume the whole control
of the details connected with their shootings, it is often
found that, with a desire to please — especially common
amongst the courteous Highlanders — keepers often
hold back any definite knowledge they possess and
views they hold which ought to be of infinite value to
the master. The intelligent and responsible keeper
can always give information, or make suggestions, with-
out being dogmatic, and he is but a poor gamekeeper
who hides his knowledge and his opinions in order to

io THE KEEPER'S BOOK

be obsequious, or from fear of contradiction. Civilly,
quietly, yet firmly he should state his facts and express
his views, and he will find that he is seldom misunder-
stood and always respected. The man who prevari-
cates for the sake of pleasing, who pretends to know
when he is ignorant, or pretends to be ignorant when
he knows, is a bad servant, and is sure in the long-run
to get into difficulties.

It will be gathered from what we have already said
that we are dealing with the keeper as a skilled speci-
alist. We have not much to say as to that anomaly
— the occasional keeper. We mean the man who is
really not a gamekeeper at all, but a farm hand who
goes out with the guns, and who is the only person in
charge of the shooting. To attempt to instruct such a
person would be a waste of energy and a dissipation
of good sense. Such a man may learn a little but he
has neither the time nor the instincts for sport. And
yet how many of our so-called keepers are but mere
labourers ? They might possibly know the difference
between a grouse and a grey hen, but as to the habits
and habitats of game, as to the destructive capacity of
vermin, as to the tempers and temperaments of dogs,
they are as ignorant as the sedentary Cockney, whose
only knowledge of game has been obtained at the
" Jungle " at Earl's Court.

NOTES

NOTES

CHAPTER II

THE IDEAL KEEPER

WHAT has been written will enable the reader to
picture the main lines upon which the good keeper may
be constructed. Much will depend on the man's char-
acter, on his sense of responsibility, his sense of duty, his
ambitions, his perseverance and persistence under diffi-
culties, his determination to succeed in a career that has
a history behind it of honour and fame. No man ever
did much in this world who started in life with the reso-
lution only to be as competent as his fellows. It is well
to have the ambition to be better. The history of
general progress is the story of personal endeavour.
This is no doubt a truism, an oft-repeated commonplace,
but commonplaces after all are the most neglected
things in our modern world of superior beings. If a
keeper would only make up his mind that, in addition to
the careful carrying out of his duties, he would add one
single fact to our practical knowledge of the science of
sport, he would have done no little thing for that
vast army of men who find in this form of recreation
the best way to attain to the mens sana in corpore

sano.

13

i4 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

There are so many tantalising curbs on human en-
deavour that it is difficult to reach perfection. However,
it is good for us to have practical ideals — signposts
which point to success — even although we find in the
long-run that our reach far exceeds our grasp. One
thing is certain, that the good keeper seldom stands
still, he never stagnates ; his knowledge and his
capacity ripen with the years. How many keepers
there are who never seem to improve, who gradually
forget all they have learned, and become impervious to
new ideas, and add to this mental deterioration the slow
disease of indolence. The average gamekeeper is the
most conservative man on earth. Not only does he
nourish the long-practised methods of the shooting on
which he is trained, but he is impatient of any sugges-
tion that might interfere with his own settled convic-
tions. Even the best of keepers is apt to be solid,
stable, and stationary. As has been said of the old-
fashioned Tory in politics : " Firmly rooted in the past,
he draws his nourishment from the traditions of his
fathers, submits himself willingly to the constituted
authorities of the present, the heritage of the past,
and finds his proper field of action in the administra-
tion of things as they are. His disadvantage lies in
his blindness to the future, and in his systematic
ignoring of the principles of change and progress
in the universe. When all things are moving
around him, from his want of adaptability to new
circumstances, he is at last forced to accept un-

THE IDEAL KEEPER 15

graciously changes which it would have been his
wisdom to anticipate."

On the whole, it must be admitted that very little
has been learned in regard to sport that was not known
by our progenitors as to the habits and habitats of game,
but much has been discovered as to their care and pre-
servation, and more as to the best ways of bringing
game to the gun ; and it is in dealing with these latter
problems that the keeper should show himself amenable
to ideas and try to keep in touch with the newest views
and profit by them, — not by blindly accepting each new
theory as gospel, but by testing it carefully by the light
of his own experience — in other words, by giving it a
fair trial. One has only to use one's eyes to observe
how the old-fashioned and discredited practices of the
past are still followed on some of our best shootings.
The prehistoric butts on the skyline, the indiscriminate
burning of heather, the smoking out of rabbits, the
bands of yelling beaters advancing in a straight line
to the guns — all remain as persistent monuments to
the conservatism of the keeper, despite all that comes
to his ears of greater success achieved under newer
methods. As far as some keepers and their masters are
concerned, Lord Walsingham, Sir R. Payne Gallwey,
Mr. Stuart Wortley, Mr. Lloyd Price, Mr. Harting,
Mr. Tom Speedy, and The Mackintosh of Mackintosh
might never have made an experiment nor written
a word. They seem to forget that sport is not a form
of theology, final and irrevocable, but a branch of

16 THE KEEPERS BOOK

science, varying under the exigencies of sense and
experience.

The mention of certain famed authorities on matters
of sport leads us to observe how little advantage has
been taken of the literature of sport by the gamekeeper
class. No doubt the keen and intelligent master puts
his keepers in possession of the ideas he has accumu-
lated from books, but this is not in itself an absolutely
satisfactory state of affairs. Keepers should be en-
couraged to read for themselves ; in some cases to
correct their own opinions, and in others to add to their
own extensive knowledge. Many keepers are apt to
despise books on sport as the writings of mere theorists,
and to shun them accordingly. It would be as well for
them to understand that this is an error of the first
magnitude. Nothing is more fortunate for sport than
that its literature emanates from some of its most practi-
cal exponents, and it was this very fact that deterred
the present writers, for a time, from going to press with
the present volume, for up till now there has been no
valuable work on sport that has not been written by a
great sportsman. An analogous remark cannot be made
of other branches of literature, and this fact should up-
set the prejudice amongst keepers against that which
they regard as mere book learning. It will be found
that most masters are only too delighted to lend to their
keepers such books as the volumes of the Fur, Feather,
and Fin series, the volumes of the Badminton Library
dealing with shooting, the Encyclopedia of Sport, and

THE IDEAL KEEPER 17

the contributions of Mr. Speedy, Mr. John Colquhoun,
Mr. Hutchinson, Mr. Bromley Davenport, Sir E. Grey,
Mr. Innes Shand, Mr. Lloyd Price, Mr. Harting, Mr.
Carnegie, and others. In fact, it is the master's duty to
see that his keeper is put in possession — temporarily,
it may be — of some of the more practical of these
writings, and to insist that advantage be taken of
the advice there put forward.

Not that all the knowledge of sport is to be found
in the brains of the writers of books. There are skil-
ful arts practised by some of our best keepers that have
never yet been put down in black and white. There
are many " tricks of the trade " that are still sacred to
particular shootings. For sport, in its widest sense,
as embracing the preservation of game, is, like shooting,
not only a science — it is an art. A man may know
much about law without being a great lawyer ; a
man may be conversant with most of the facts of
medical science, and yet be a poor physician. An
analogous remark applies to the profession of game-
keeping to such an extent that a keeper, like a poacher,
is supposed to be "born," not "made." But a belief
in this fact often leads to the most disastrous results.
The men who are thoroughly convinced in their own
minds that they are heaven-born keepers, are apt to
be conceited, opinionative, dogmatic, despotic, and im-
perious, " given to run riot in idolatries, drifting into
vanities, congregating in absurdities, planning short-
sightedly, plotting dementedly." They regard with dis-

1 8 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

dain the suggestions of the man who has learned his
business by mere patient plodding. Let even the man
who is a sportsman by instinct and a keeper by nature
not hesitate to learn of men who are his inferiors, per-
haps, in everything except a little knowledge.

Enthusiasm, although it is not everything, is an
invaluable quality in the good keeper. It inspires en-
thusiasm not only in his underlings, but in the sportsmen
themselves. Nothing is more depressing to a day's
shooting than to have a keeper who seems bored by his
work. Such a day is bound to be a failure, or, at best,
an imperfect success. The joy of sport ; the keenness
for a good bag ; the evident and just pride in knowledge
which the keeper is only too willing to impart ; the calm,
firm, and deliberate manner in carrying out a plan,
skilfully and patiently constructed — these are the con-
ditions that inspire confidence in and respect from the
sportsman. But seeming indifference ; evident ignor-
ance ; a noisy, changeful, aimless plan of campaign —
these are the conditions that make for the irritation of
" the guns " and for a general feeling of dissatisfaction.
When the latter conditions exist, it will in all likelihood
be found that the courtesy of the keeper is in propor-
tion to the size of his tips and his geniality to the
number of his " nips." Such a man is a disgrace to an
historical and responsible profession. He can be of no
satisfaction to himself, and is a nuisance to everybody
else. He quarrels with the farm servants ; he indis-
criminately shoots every suspicious dog that he meets ;

THE IDEAL KEEPER 19

he is outwitted by poachers, and is hated by his assist-
ants. Knowledge, skill, perseverance, discrimination,
firmness, order, courtesy, and enthusiasm — these are
the eight primary necessities for a good keeper. Know-
ledge of the technicalities of his craft, skill to carry
them out, perseverance in face of difficulty and failure,
discrimination in dealing with superiors, equals, neigh-
bours, and inferiors, firmness in all he does, order in all
his methods — in his books, his kennels, and his sporting
arrangements — and enthusiasm to carry out what he
has carefully planned, modified by a gracious civility,
all these will tend to his own, his master's, and his
servants' satisfaction.

Above all things the ideal keeper is humane. His
humanity is not only shown by his careful considera-
tion of his fellow-men, but of those faithful servants of
the chase — the horse and the dog ; and if his humanity
is of the right quality he will extend his gentleness and
consideration so as to prevent unnecessary suffering to
the quarry of the chase. The hunting song says :
"Though we all hunt reynard, we love him." In the
same way the instinct of love and pity also extends to
the birds of the air and the other beasts of the field.
A cruel keeper is a monster.

NOTES

CHAPTER III

RELATIONS WITH FARMERS, ETC.

HOWEVER skilful and energetic a keeper may be, how-
ever brilliant his qualifications, or original his ideas, he
will find himself considerably handicapped unless he be
able to keep at peace with his neighbours. It is not
only the cantankerous flathead or the uncouth barbarian
who tilts against the susceptibilities and prejudices of
others. It is often the man of character and ideas.
Knowledge is apt to breed impatience with stupidity
and irritation against ignorance, and the clever man is
by no means the most popular one. The one thing to
remember is that every man looks out upon the world
from an absolutely distinct and individual point of view,
and that to earn friendship and sympathy it is necessary
to gauge your opponent's standpoint when dealing
with what may seem his prejudices and wrong-headed
convictions. As in heaven, so on earth, there are more
mansions than one, and the keepers who start with the
motto, "We are the people, and wisdom will die with
us," will soon find that they are going to have a very
poor time of it indeed. Let them remember the old
definition: "A gentleman is a man who combines a high

22 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

and well-grounded self-esteem with an habitual nice
and delicate regard to the rights and feelings of others."
Let us admit that this is no easy matter. But as John
Stuart Blackie said : " Difficulties are the true test of
greatness : cowards shrink from them ; fools bungle
them ; wise men conquer them. " And again : * ' Prudence
yields to circumstance ; folly quarrels with it ; pride
defies it ; wisdom uses it ; and genius controls it."

As far as the keeper is concerned in his official
position, his principal neighbours are the shepherd, the
farmer and his labourers, the neighbouring keepers, and
the townsfolk and villagers. In dealing with these
let us remember that a little tact is worth a world of
bullying, a little give and take more powerful for good
than endless protestation and argument. In all his
relations the main point to be remembered is that con-
sideration for a neighbour's interests is the first step
towards the security of one's own. And if serious diffi-
culties do present themselves, say with prejudiced and
unreasoning farmers, it is better for the keeper to refer
the matter to his master, who can speak and act with
greater authority than he, than for him to undertake a
campaign which might make his position unpopular and
even untenable. There is nothing more difficult to
learn than the art of correction, unless it be the disci-
pline of accepting it in the right spirit. The work
achieved in this direction by the Services and our public
schools is noteworthy and admirable. But we must
remember that it is but the minority who have served

RELATIONS WITH FARMERS, ETC. 23

with the colours or who have learned manly self-control
at the great schools.

Let us take the case of a shepherd or his master,
the sheep farmer, who may have the grazing on a moor
on which the keeper is in charge of the game. Enmity
or tactlessness can only result in more damage to the
latter's interests than to the former's. A resentful shep-
herd has a tantalising habit of destroying nests and of
making friends with poachers, and, by a curious coin-
cidence, it may somehow happen that he collects his
sheep on the very days when we wish the hill to be kept
quiet. During the breeding and nesting season his dog
has a habit of ranging the moor, with the result that
many eggs are destroyed, many young birds perish,
and the moor is generally disturbed. Heather is badly
burned, oftentimes butts and springs are tampered with.
All of which unsatisfactory state of affairs might have
been different if a little tact had been used, and a friend
made of the shepherd, and this friendship shown in
many little acts of consideration, as helping an occa-
sional sheep or lamb in distress, or giving information
to the shepherd as to their possible danger, or as
to the whereabouts of a sheep that has gone astray.
The occasional present of rabbits — given, of course,
with the consent of the master — is also to be
recommended.

A great number of farmers are not easy to satisfy,
and many have been spoiled by rich shooting tenants
meeting them more than half-way. Farmers should be

24 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

treated justly, yet firmly — in many cases the harm they
do is overrated, and used as a threat to blackmail wealthy
Sassenachs innocent of anywhere except Piccadilly or
the Park. Yet good relationships with the farmers are
more important in low ground than on moor shootings.
Here antagonism between keeper and farmer or master
and farmer is possibly disastrous to good sport. Of
course, farmers have no right to enter coverts, which
should always be strictly reserved in the lease to the
landlord. As for the farm labourers, they possess op-
portunities of poaching which render them particularly
dangerous. They can with ease set traps, nets, and
snares without being observed. Their presence in the
fields seldom arouses suspicion, and they may take the
opportunity of following the principle of every man for
himself, unless a friendly sentiment towards the master
and the keeper has stimulated their interest in sport and
in justice. Far too little is attempted by the average
keeper to conciliate the farm labourer, either by common
human sympathy and kindness or by an occasional
present, say of rabbits or hares. The keeper is far too
apt to be oppressed by the idea of his own dignity,
and to despise the mere clod of the fields. Let him re-
member that dignity does not necessarily mean austerity.
A keeper can be firm and even suspicious without being
" a pompous ass." We remember once, at a big covert
shoot in the north of England, taking particular note
of the relationship that existed between the head keeper
and his corps of beaters — which was chiefly made up

RELATIONS WITH FARMERS, ETC. 25

of farm labourers — hired at 2s. 6d. a day plus a scratch
lunch of bread and cheese. The month was December,
it may be added, and the temperature stood not very
far above zero. At a glance we discovered that not
only was the keeper feared — not a bad condition of
affairs — but that he was actively hated. One or two
strayremarks dropped by the beaters in highly flavoured
Yorkshire dialect soon convinced us of this. As for the
keeper, he ordered his rank and file about as if they all
combined roguery with stupidity and laziness. No doubt
many of his beaters were brainless, lumbering loons, but
it is not always wise in this sensitive world to call a man
a fool, especially when numerous adjectives of a sanguin-
ary and condemnatory nature are prefixed. Let us not
be charged with desiring the keeper to proceed, say, on
these lines: " Would you mind, my dear Mr. Clodhopper,
kindly accompanying the rest of the men in beating out
this cover ? " But there is a medium between this and

the not uncommon, " Nah, then, ye , stir yer

legs and look sharp, you ." Not only does

such want of common consideration, such absolute ignor-
ance of human nature — which in all its manifestations
has some form of pride and self-respect, however small
— tend to the ill-being of a particular shooting, it has in
the long-run a damaging effect on sport in general. We
do not suggest that the keeper's attitude should be one
of obsequious fawning for favour, but he should re-
member that there are elements in society which are
daily becoming more antagonistic to the game laws, and

26 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

that there is no need for him to further emphasise the
antagonism of class to class.

Let it be said, not for the first time, that on all occa-
sions when the help of farm hands is called in for the
purposes of sport, the keeper should, where such is
needed, give the master a gentle hint as to the advis-
ability of ministering well to the stomachs of these tem-
porary employees. Irish stew or hot-pot with a little
"fat ale" does not cost much, and at most would be
but a drop in the bucket of shooting expenses.

Even in shootings where farm hands are not en-
gaged, much valuable information may be at the dis-
posal of the farm servant, and this is likely to be given
or withheld in proportion to the popularity of the master,
but more particularly of the keeper. Where an amicable
feeling exists on all sides, sport is robbed of many of its
handicaps. Good relations with the farmer may lead
to the latter acquiescing in the desire that he should
cut his corn towards the cover, so as to keep the birds
upon the sportsman's ground. On the other hand,
enmity will in all likelihood deter him from assisting the
keeper, for example, by leaving a strip of uncut corn
in the middle of a field so that he may drive out the
game that remain in it before the reaping be finished.

A good understanding with the farmer may also
checkmate the poaching facilities of his underlings.
Despite his powers under the Ground Game Act, hares
and rabbits will not be overshot, and orders may be
given that the driver of the mowing machine should

RELATIONS WITH FARMERS, ETC. 27

keep a good look out for birds, so that any possible
damage may be averted. Information as to the move-
ments and whereabouts of poachers will be placed at
the keeper's disposal, and an altogether intelligent in-
terest taken in, and considerable assistance given to,
the sporting capacities of the land. Surely such a satis-
factory outlook is worthy of more than condescension
or mere indifference.

Let there be, at all costs, some considerable respect
for the pets of the neighbourhood. The keeper should
not treat all dogs and cats as vermin. If he does he
will not only break the law, but also cause offence. In
another chapter he will get some hints as to the law of
the matter. It is only necessary to add here, that while
as a rule the collie and the pet tabby should be respected,
no mercy should be shown to the lurcher, or that king
of poachers, Tom the vagabond. An intelligent keeper
will soon discover the ownership of every living creature
on his ground, and be able to judge fairly well as to the
way they should be treated. There are many other
points at which the interests of keeper and farmer
meet, and which may suggest problems to the thought-
ful man. Those we have indicated may assist him in
endeavouring to meet any other possible clashing of
interests in a spirit which combines tact with firmness,
and justice with not too sacrificing nor yet too niggling
a form of generosity.

Friendship with neighbouring keepers is an abso-
lute necessity where there is much interchange of

28 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

shooting. In average cases, where an owner or
tenant finds a difficulty in getting assistance for his
drives or beats in a not over thinly populated country,
he may safely set it down either to the indolence or
the unpopularity of his keeper.

Every keeper who is worth his salt will, of course,
soon have a good general knowledge of the character
of every man and woman, dog and cat, that comes
within the radius of his shootings. He will have fairly
well gauged the potential poacher and know whom to
appease, of whom to seek favour, and whom to con-
trol. And of all general rules let him keep this one
foremost in his mind : Let him not make a habit of
drinking with his neighbours. There is a curious
notion abroad in the earth that a man's courtesy is
judged by his acquiescence in an expressed desire that
he should have a drink. Except amongst the wisest
and the most far-seeing of men, very few friendships
are sealed and very little respect is born in the presence
of the bottle. To drink habitually with any man dimin-
ishes authority, and no keeper can ever afford to lose
that most valuable of assets. No person who counts
will value a man less because he is temperate or
because he refuses to give way to the silly habit of
promiscuous "treating." The keeper is to be warned
even of the very occasional glass with the suspicious
stranger. If a man must have his glass, let him have
it at home, or with men with whom he is thoroughly
acquainted — men whom he respects and by whom he

RELATIONS WITH FARMERS, ETC. 29

is respected — men who will neither misunderstand him
nor inveigle him into slackness of duty or active mis-
chief. The man who to-day seems a friend, and is
laughing with us, may turn out to-morrow to be a
poacher who is laughing at us. There is no law in the
country, outside the laws of physiology and the law
of any religion he may profess, that prevents a man
from taking a fairly good " skinful of liquor," but the
general rule must be emphasised that no drunkard,
or even habitual "nipper," can retain respect, and
without that priceless jewel in the chaplet of authority,
a keeper had better change his profession and take
to breaking stones.

NOTES

CHAPTER IV
THE POACHER

IN the last chapter we have dwelt on many points
dealing with the laws of sport which affect poaching,
and in our study of the various game, which it is the
object of the poacher to secure illegitimately, more
will be said. The days are long past when a halo of
sentiment hung round this law-breaker. He no longer
inspires the song writer or the writer of romance.
" The Lincolnshire poacher "and his contemporaries
were no doubt men with a glamour about them, instinc-
tive hunters, impatient of the trammels of game legisla-
tion, and lineal descendants of a breed of sportsmen
that knew not Acts of Parliament, and had no fear of
the power of the constable and the police court. But
the glamour has passed, like many a glamour of simpler
and freer days. The twentieth century poacher is an
ill-conditioned, lazy, drunken, and slinking scoundrel,
an enemy to law and order, without a particle of true
sportsmanlike feeling in his veins. Taken as a class,
poachers are a set of hardened criminals, careless of
everything but their own besotted lives. The occa-
sional poacher is a much rarer bird, and is the, uncurbed

32 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

expression of the natural poaching tendency which exists
in human nature. He may be a farm hand, a village
loon, or even a medical student home for the vacation,
but whatever he may be, he is in the majority of cases
an amateur and not so dangerous as his professional
brother, who is a cast-off from honest trades — a grain
in the sediment of society. Drink has him, as a rule,
in its grip. He has a shifty and congested eye and a
tremulous tongue. He is the friend of no man and an
enemy to most, and is in the majority of cases an arrant
coward. Remarkably ignorant on most questions, he
is terribly acute on all matters affecting the poaching
of game,and although a coward, he is prepared at a pinch
to get rid of another life to keep the security of his own.
There used to be a popular impression that the best
man to secure as a keeper was one who had been a
poacher. If we limit the word " poacher " to the occa-
sional, and not the habitual, criminal, there may have
been some truth in the belief, but, for our purposes, there
is much more wisdom in the reverse statement that the
best poacher is the man who has been a keeper. A
gamekeeper discharged for drunkenness or dishonesty
is a dangerous man to deal with, especially if he con-
tinues to hang about the district in which he formerly
had respectable employment. He is thoroughly con-
versant with every preserve in the county, and knows
to a nicety the habits and habitats of the game in
the district. The inference is obvious. He is the
very man to lead a gang of poachers. It is therefore

THE POACHER 33

unwise to allow a discharged keeper to remain on the
property.

Generally speaking, the only way to put down
poaching is by firm determination and constant action
against the wrong-doer. The fact that the keeper is
soft or overlooks the inroads on his preserves is not
appreciated, and indeed only encourages the poacher
to increase his depredations. The poacher must be
kept in order by fear, and not by kindness. With most
dishonest people of this class the virtue of kindness is
mistaken for that of weakness.

We have indicated, in a previous chapter, the line
of conduct which it is advisable for keepers to pursue
in dealing with men who are potential poachers — farm
servants and the like — and it will not be necessary for
us to say more on the subject. In dealing with the
professional poachers, individually or in gangs, in addi-
tion to such usual procedure as the bushing of fields
to prevent partridge-poaching, the construction of wire
and bells in pheasant coverts and by pheasant coops,
and other forms of special protection, it will be neces-
sary that the keeper should institute a regular system
of watching, and a system which is flexible enough to
stand modification in time and season. The nesting
season, and the days when birds are young, must be
periods for particular alertness. A cloudy, windy night
must at once suggest to the keeper the idea of special
vigilance, for this condition of weather offers an especial
chance to the plans of the poacher. The artful keeper
3

34 THE KEEPERS BOOK

also should not get into the habit of making regular
rounds — he should vary them daily.

When a district is habitually invaded by gangs of
poachers, the keepers of neighbouring estates should
work in unison, and should lay their heads together to
carry out a joint plan of campaign to frustrate the
villainy of the trespassers in pursuit of game. The use
of rockets as signals is an excellent practice and should
be more generally carried out. Not only do rockets
give warning to keepers at a distance, but they put fear
into the heart of the cowardly poacher, who, as a rule,
takes to his heels on the faintest suspicion of danger.
It is advisable not to give too long notice to beaters
as to the locale of a shoot, as poachers are apt to mature
their plans for another part of the ground. Late the
night before, or, better still, early the morning of the
day on which the shooting is to take place, is soon
enough.

Finally, letgamekeepers be feared. There is nothing
like a reputation for strength to keep off the intruder.
There is much to be gained when the keeper is held
in awe. To illustrate the truth of this remark, we may
quote an experience of our younger and more irre-
sponsible days. One of the present writers had a lease
of a shooting in the Upper Ward of Lanarkshire, an
estate with excellent covers, in which were preserved
a large stock of pheasants. He had been much troubled
by the inroads of poachers, and had a suspicion that
they were, in fact, stimulated by the "softness" of the

THE POACHER 35

head-keeper. Mr. Gaiters was a mild-speaking, humor-
ous, yet patient and godly man, and despite his honest
endeavours toget thebetterof his unscrupulous enemies,
the victories were generally on their side. Things went
from bad to worse till one eventful night. The tenant
had retired to his smoking-room for the evening, when
a servant came running in to inform him that a big
tussle was going on at the end of one of the coverts,
owing to the fact that a gang of poachers had been sur-
prised in their work by the head and under-keeper.
From the account he received, he imagined it to be an
encounter of the first magnitude. He was about to set
out for the field of action when an eccentric idea came
into his brain. He rushed to the gunroom, took down
his gun, put some cartridges into his pocket, and "rushed
into the night." As soon as he got within fifty yards
of the cover in which the "fun" was proceeding, he
loaded his gun and began to empty cartridge after
cartridge on to the tops of the trees. He could hear
the tramp of feet in the distance and the evident sound
of struggle. When he ceased firing, this sound ceased
also. Another servant at this moment came running
up, and then the second part of the coup was carried
out. A sheep had been killed that very day, and he
immediately gave orders that some of the blood should
be brought to him. This he mixed with water in a
bucket. He then secured an old pair of tweed trousers,
which he roughly tore into pieces. Accompanied by
his servant, he now set out for the cross-roads near to

36 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

the point where the encounter had taken place. In a
few moments the watered blood and the tattered gar-
ment had been scattered indiscriminately here and there
about the road, and two pairs of feet began to trample
them into the mud and dust. The night was so dark
that the immediate effect was not discernible. Having
completed this piece of work, he returned to the house,
and, warning his servant to keep a quiet tongue in his
head, retired to bed. Next morning there was " the
devil to pay." An early visitor in the shape of a con-
stable found an unusually early riser in the shape of the
shooting tenant, who listened with keen attention to a
story of the strange doings of the night before. The
constable suspected manslaughter, though no body had
been found. His hearer, evidently much impressed
with the seriousness of the situation, accompanied him
to the cross-roads, where already a small crowd had
collected, peering into hedges and over dykes to find
a mutilated corpse. For the roadside presented a
gruesome spectacle. Even the innocent humorist was
impressed by the ghastliness of the experiment. As
for the head-keeper, he was quite nonplussed. The
fight had been a severe one, but he could not account
for the roadside shambles. The constable was, of
course, sceptical at his mild protestations, and the crowd
voted him a new quality of humour. However, to cut
a long story short, there was a private interview be-
tween tenant and constable, and " the smile on the face
of bobby " was modified by the fact that he discerned a

.

V

THE POACHER 37

new way of keeping the law. The moral of which
tale is, that a reputation as a fighting man, and
one whose blows do not merely go skin deep, is not
an objectionable adjunct of the character of a
keeper.

NOTES

CHAPTER V
POINTS IN LAW A GAMEKEEPER SHOULD KNOW

By H. BURN MURDOCH, Advocate and Barrister-at-law.

Master and servant. — Fortunately the relations
existing between gamekeepers and their employers are
very often so satisfactory, and even so cordial, that
questions of the legal rights of parties rarely have to
be discussed. It is always well, however, to know the
nature of one's legal rights : they form part of the general
law of master and servant which maybe found explained
in many large volumes. Only a very short statement
can be given here. As to the contract of service, this
will follow any conditions upon which both parties agree,
as to length of service, wages, notice, etc. I f no mention
is made of the duration of employment, this is presumed
in Scotland to be by the year, and whether by the year
or half-year, forty days' clear notice must be given before
the end of the time in order to end the contract. In
England, disputes on such subjects are usually settled
by a jury, and the results of this are so uncertain that
no rule can be exactly stated. It has, however, been
decided that a head-gardener falls into the large class of

39

40 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

employees who are engaged on the common terms of a
month's notice or a month's wages. Probably a keeper's
employment will be presumed to be on the same terms
in England and Ireland unless a different bargain is
made.

But the contract will be broken and ended without
any period of notice in certain cases. These may be
shortly expressed as — (i) Disobedience of lawful orders,
or want of proper respect; (2) Dishonesty, drunkenness,
insubordination, or other serious misconduct; (3) In-
competence, general neglect, or absence from work.
Where a servant breaks his contract by some such mis-
behaviour, he loses his right to any wages for the time
since the last period of service and the date when wages
were last due. Thus, if a keeper were employed and
paid by the half-year, ending say at Whitsunday, but was
justifiably dismissed a few months or weeks before, he
would not be entitled to any wages for the incomplete
period. On the other hand, if ^justifiably dismissed,
he would be entitled to the whole wages up to Whit-
sunday, even if dismissed months before. The employer
must keep his side of the contract by paying the wages
agreed upon at the proper time. He must be a reason-
able master, and, for example, must not expect a
head-keeper employed as such to serve as under-
keeper.

It would perhaps be harsh to refuse to give a written
" character " to a good servant, but it must be said that
a master is under no legal obligation to do so. Indeed,

SOME POINTS IN LA W 41

he becomes responsible if he does, and if some other
employer were deceived by a false and flattering testi-
monial, might be held liable in damages for any result-
ing loss. But a communication regarding a servant's
character which a master makes to a prospective
employer is privileged, that is to say, the writer will
not be held legally liable for anything said honestly
and without malice, even if it is uncomplimentary and
incorrect.

Should a keeper suffer personal injury by an accident
arising out of his employment and in the course of his
work, he will be entitled to recover compensation from
the master under the Workmen's Compensation Act
if any loss of wages results. Notice in writing of the
accident must be given, and within six months from the
occurrence a definite claim must be made for compensa-
tion. He will have no right to compensation where the
accident was due to his own "serious and wilful mis-
conduct " unless it causes serious and permanent dis-
ablement. It is desirable for the employer to insure
against this risk, for heavy liabilities may be suddenly
incurred without any one being to blame.

Keepers, like many other agents and employees,
frequently have to trade with dealers and tradesmen on
behalf of their employers. Tempting opportunities are
sometimes given by dealers and others to make a profit
by a "commission" or "discount" on the account, or
in some similar way. It is necessary to keep in mind
that all such secret profits by a servant or agent are

42 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

improper, and that now any one who " corruptly " offers
or accepts such secret commissions is liable under the
criminal law. A keeper should accept nothing of the
kind without the full knowledge of his master. He will
then be all right, not only with the law of the land, but
also with his own self-respect.

The whole subject of game, in regard alike to its pre-
servation and its destruction or capture, is so fenced
about by law, that no keeper can properly do his work
without knowing at least the main restrictions which
the law places on himself and others. Space forbids
that more than an outline be given here, but for the sake
of those wishing more detailed information a list is given
at the close of the chapter of the leading books on the
subject. The law on the subject is in rather a confused
state, owing to the careless wording of Acts of Parlia-
ment. Those who are fond of abusing lawyers and the
law should remember that most of the law has been
manufactured in Parliament by laymen !

Game, in its general sense, means all birds and beasts
which are both used as food for man and are usually
shot or hunted by man for sport. But the word is
also used in the narrow sense of the birds and beasts
mentioned in the leading Game Act of each of the
Three Kingdoms. These are hare, pheasant, partridge,
grouse, heath or moor game, black game, and bustards.
(Heath game and moor game only mean black game
and grouse respectively.) For Ireland add deer, land-
rails, and quail. In Ireland " moor game" is also

SOME POINTS IN LA W 43

supposed to mean black game and ptarmigan. Many
Acts of Parliament use the word game in this sense when
they state that the provisions of the Act apply to " game
and rabbits, teal, widgeon, deer," etc. By various Acts
it has been made illegal to kill birds during the nesting
season. A table of the close times for each species of
game is given at the end of this chapter.

Ownership of game. — There is no property in game
or other wild animals in their natural state. In Scotland
they become the property of whoever captures them (in
the legal phrase, " reduces them into possession "),
even if the captor breaks the law in taking them, unless
forfeiture of the game is made a part of the penalty for
the offence. In England and Ireland the law is more
complicated. There, if game is flushed and killed on
the ground of one proprietor, it becomes his property.
If it is flushed on the ground of one man and killed or
captured on another's ground, it becomes the property
of its captor. Young game unable to leave the nest, or,
at least, the soil of its home, is the property of the owner
of the soil. In all three countries tame animals (or those
which have been tamed) are the property of the person
who keeps them. Young pheasants, hatched from a
setting of eggs by a barn-door hen, are considered to
be tame so long as they follow their foster-mother. To
steal them is therefore punishable as theft or larceny,
and they do not require the protection of the game laws.
Dead game also does not fall under the provisions of
the game laws, which do not make it a special offence

44 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

to appropriate dead meat. But it is not ordinary theft
to take game before it has become the property of some
one, that is to say, in the usual case, before it is killed
and bagged. This leads to a curious result : if, for in-
stance, a man, passing alongapublic roadwhilepheasants
are being shot on the adjoining land, picks up a dead
bird that falls at his feet and walks off with it, he is
not guilty either of theft or of breaking the game laws.
The Courts have so decided in Scotland, and although
there is no decision quite so clear in England or Ireland,
the law is understood to be the same.

In England and Ireland the property in game is
sometimes affected by the peculiar privileges belong-
ing to royal forests, chases, purlieus, parks, free warrens,
and manors. The keepers on such estates have also
exceptional powers, but such privileged places are not
so numerous as to require notice here.

Shoo ting rights. — The right of huntingand shooting
game (which is a different thing from the property in the
game) belongs naturally to the owner of the ground. I n
Scotland this right remains with the proprietor, though
he lets the land on an agricultural lease, unless the lease
contains an express stipulation that the tenant should
have the game rights. In England and Ireland the
agricultural tenant has the game rights unless the lease
contains a contrary stipulation. This, however, is sub-
ject to what must afterwards be said about the Ground
Game Acts, which apply to all three countries. Of
course the owner of the land may let the game rights

SO ME POINTS IN LA W 45

to a sporting tenant, and the farming rights to an agri-
cultural tenant. In such a case disputes may easily
arise between the two tenants if either exercises his
rights in such a way as to interfere with the rights of
the other. The law is, that each is fully entitled to
exercise hisrights, provided he does so in such amanner
as not to interfere unduly with the rights of the other.
For example, the sporting tenant must not tramp
through a field of standing corn, but he is quite entitled to
walk through turnips after partridges, provided he does
not unnecessarily trample down the turnips or go so fre-
quently through them as to damage the crop seriously.
The rights of the game tenant (or the landlord, when the
shooting is in his own hands) include a right to enter on
the land during the close time for game for the purpose
of killing vermin and otherwise protecting the game,
provided he does not unnecessarily or unduly interfere
with the agricultural tenant. Of course, each case must
be judged by itself, but the rule for the keeper to re-
member is that the Courts will only protect him in his
duty if he acts with reasonable consideration for the
farmer's rights.

Damage done by game. — When a landowner lets a
farm to an agricultural tenant, reserving to himself the
game rights, he becomes liable for damage to the farmer's
crops by game unless he shoots the game regularly, so
as to prevent the stock becoming excessive. This does
not apply to hares and rabbits, because all farmers are
entitled to kill these for themselves, and by doing so

46 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

can remove any cause of complaint. In the case of
damage by deer, pheasants, partridges, grouse, or black
game, amounting to more than one shilling's worth of
harm done per acre over the area damaged, any tenant
can now claim an arbitration with his landlord to recover
money compensation. In order to do so he must give
the landlord written notice of the damage and of his
claim, and must provide sufficient opportunity for an
inspection of the damage upon the landlord's behalf
before the crop is raised or cut, or if a reaped crop is
damaged before it is removed from the field. There is
no right to compensation for damage done by any kind
of deer or game which the tenant himself is entitled to
kill. This right to compensation is statutory, and the
tenant cannot contract to do without it, but in fixing
the amount payable there must be deducted any sums
of money compensation which the tenant is entitled to
independently under his contract or lease. Any com-
pensation which the landlord has to pay under this law
may be recovered by him from the shooting tenant.

Farmers rights of shooting and trapping. — Any
farmer or agricultural tenant may also possess such
rights of shooting as he has contracted for with his
landlord under the lease. Apart from this, the Ground
Game Acts give to every occupier of land the right (of
which he cannot divest himself) to kill the hares and
rabbits on his holding. The right may be exercised
by the occupier or persons authorised by him in writing.
The occupier and one other person so authorised are

SOME POINTS IN LA W 47

the only persons who may use firearms. No person
shall be authorised by the occupier to kill ground game
except — (i) Members of his household resident on the
land; (2) Persons in his ordinary employment on the
land ; and (3) One other person bond fide employed by
him for reward to kill ground game. The keeper, if
authorised in writing by the landlord or game tenant
(who has a concurrent right to kill ground game), may
demand any person killing game for the occupier to pro-
duce his written authority. If he has none he may be
prosecuted as a poacher. This Act also forbids the use
of firearms at night (i.e. from end of first hour after sun-
set to beginning of last hour before sunrise), and the
use of spring traps except inside rabbit holes. The
right of killing ground game under this Act must not
be exercised on moors or unenclosed lands which are
not arable, except from the ist day of September in any
year till the 3ist day of March in the following year,
both dates inclusive, and no shooting is permissible
until nth December — a provision probably designed
to favour the grouse.

Heather burning. — In Scotland and Ireland, but not
in England, farmers are accustomed to burn the heather
and old grass or bent on the moorland pastures periodi-
cally. This operation, known as "muirburn," is also
beneficial to the grouse, as they feed on the young shoots
of the heather or ling which come up afterwards. Ob-
viously a moor cannot be burned without risk of damage
to growing woods, etc., by the fire spreading, and the

48 THE KEEPERS BOOK

certainty of some damage to wild birds' nests on the
ground burned. To burn too large an area in any one
year is unnecessary for the sheep-farmer and very bad
for the stock of grouse. Most leases of such ground in
Scotland therefore regulate the amount which can be
burned in any one year ; and by Act of Parliament such
burning may not be done between i ith April and ist
November in any year, except in the case of high, wet
moorlands, which, by leave of the proprietor in writing,
may be burned between i ith and 2Oth April.1 Under
some farming leases the landlord contracts to do all
necessary burning himself. In such cases the farmer is
entitled tohaveaproper proportion burned regularly, and
may recover compensation if too much ground has been
left under old heather. In Ireland the burning is per-
mitted only between izj-th June and 2nd February. In
both countries a penalty is incurred if the Act is broken.
Gun licences, etc. — These being the leading condi-
tions as regards the persons legitimately on the lands
which the sportsman must observe, the conditions in
regard to the Government are chiefly contained in the
provisions as to licences. The second table at the end
of the chapter shows all the licences required in the
Three Kingdoms, and the times during which they run.
In the remarks following it is assumed that the reader
has that table before him. A licence as a male servant
is not required for a servant who is bond fide employed
in a capacity not requiring such a licence (as, e.g., a farm

Seepage 151.

SOME POINTS IN LA W 49

labourer), though he should be taken for an odd day to
beat a covert or to kill vermin, or to do any duty for a
gamekeeper. Similarly a gun licence is not required
by a person sent out with a gun to kill vermin — i.e.
animals of a purely noxious kind, such as weasels, stoats,
etc. At one time it was thought that rabbits were
vermin, but it has now been settled that no one can
shoot rabbits, even under the Ground Game Act, with-
out a gun licence. The only exceptions from the need
of agame licence which require notice here are — ( i ) The
taking or destroying of conies (rabbits) in Great Britain ;
(2) the killing of hares — (a) in England, by one person
authorised in writing by the occupier of the land ; (b) in
Scotland, by the owner or lessee of any land, or any
person authorised by him in writing ; (3) the killing or
taking of ground game under the Ground Game Act ;
(4) coursing or hunting hares or deer with hounds ; and
(5)the taking of woodcock or snipe with nets or springes
in Great Britain. A keeper's game licence can only
be taken out by his employer, who has himself a full
licence to kill game. Such a licence is not available
except on the land on which his employer has the right
to kill game. Such a licence may be transferred to a
new keeper, if the keeper for whom it was taken out
dies or leaves his employment while the licence is
current. The officer of excise who issued the licence
must indorse the name of the new keeper on the licence
before the transference can take effect.

Gamedealers licences. — Only persons who hold the
4

50 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

licence to deal in game may sell it retail or buy it whole-
sale, whether alive or dead. (" Game " includes hares
but not rabbits.) The only persons entitled to sell to
such licensed dealers are those who have taken out the
full £3 licence to kill game. It is the received opinion
that a gamekeeper holding a £2 licence may lawfully
sell game to a dealer on the account and with the
written authority of his master (who must have the full
£3 licence), provided that he only sells game killed on
lands over which his employer has the right of shooting.
(The statutory sections, which on this point are rather
confused, are 23 and 24 Viet, c. go,s. 1 7, and i and 2 Will,
iv., c. 32, ss. 17, 25 : see Highmore's Excise Laws,
2nd Ed., Part II., p. 181.) Another exception is intro-
duced by the Ground Game Act, 1880, in favour of
persons killing ground game under that Act, who may
sell such game killed by them to a licensed dealer though
they have not a licence to kill game.

Showing licence. — Any person doing any act in
Great Britain for which a licence to kill game is neces-
sary, must show his licence to, and allow a copy of it
to be taken by, any officer of Inland Revenue, or any
person duly licensed to kill game, or the owner, occupier,
or gamekeeper of the land on which he then is, who
demands to see his licence. If the licence is not pro-
duced, the person must give his true name and address
and state the place where he took out the licence, under
a penalty of £20 in case of refusal, or of the information
proving false.

SOME POINTS IN LAW 51

Licences in Ireland, — The laws of Ireland in regard
to this part of the subject are too complex to be ade-
quately treated in the space at our disposal, nor is it
necessary in a book expressly for keepers. No refer-
ence, therefore, is made to such questions as property
qualification, manorial privileges, and those of " persons
not under the degree of an esquire," and, in short, all
matters with which an ordinary keeper is not concerned.
No licences as male servants are required in Ireland.
Licences for dogs must be got on 3ist March in each
year, from the Petty Sessions Clerk of the district.
Duty, 2s. for each dog, and a 6d. stamp on the certifi-
cate of registration. A gamekeeper in Ireland, instead
of taking out a licence to kill game, registers his deputa-
tion or appointment (which is chargeable with a IDS.
stamp duty) with the supervisor of excise within whose
district the lands are situated, and the officers of excise
thereupon, on payment of the duty (i.e. ^3), grant a
certificate to such gamekeeper to kill game. Such
certificate may be transferred to a new keeper if the
keeper to whom it is granted dies or quits the service,
just as in the case of a keeper's licence in England and
Scotland. There is a provision in Ireland about show-
ing a certificate to kill game on demand similar to that
in England and Scotland, with two differences, viz.
(i) The person making the demand must showhis certifi-
cate, which is not necessary in England or Scotland,
and (2) the penalty for refusing to show is ^50, not £20.

Laws against poaching. — The keeper's legal powers

52 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

and duties in regard to persons who come on the ground
with no legitimate title to be there (whom we may call
generally ''poachers") cannot be stated intelligibly
without first giving a short outline of the legislation for
the protection of game against such persons. For all
practical purposes the law is contained in a very few
Acts of Parliament, the first of which was passed in
1828 and the last in 1862. The subject is divided into
three parts — ( i ) Trespassing in pursuit of game in the
night time : (2) trespassing in pursuit of game in the
day time ; and (3) the prevention of poaching.

Night poaching is forbidden by two Acts, which
both apply to the whole United Kingdom, viz. the
Night Poaching Acts, 1828 and 1844.

For the purpose of both Acts night is defined as the
period between the expiration of the first hour after
sunset and the commencement of the last hour before
sunrise, and "game" is defined as including hares,
pheasants, partridges, grouse, heath or moor game,
black game, and bustards.

An offence under these Acts is committed by any
person who, during the night, ( i ) unlawfully takes or
kills any game or rabbits on any land, or on any public
road or path or the sides thereof, or at the openings or
gates from any such land into such road or path ; or
(2) unlawfully enters, or is on such land (no mention of
roads, etc.), with any instruments for the purpose of
taking or destroying game. Entering land for the
purpose of taking rabbits is only punishable under these

SO ME POINTS IN LA W 53

Acts when at least three persons are together and any
of them are armed with firearms, bludgeons, or other
offensive weapons. But this does not make it lawful
for single individuals to trespass by night in pursuit of
rabbits. A person caught on the ground with poaching
instruments, such as nets, and charged with being there
in pursuit of game, could hardly defend himself by
saying he only meant to take rabbits.

Arrest of night poachers. — Any person committing
the offence first mentioned may be arrested and given
into custody by the owner or occupier, or by his game-
keeper or servant, or any one assisting such gamekeeper
or servant, wherever he may be seized, provided the
pursuit started on the land. Any one committing the
offence second mentioned may be similarly arrested and
given into custody, provided the seizure be made, or
the pursuit begun, on the land on which the offence is
committed. In either of these cases an assault by the
offender on any person authorised to arrest him is a
serious aggravation of the offence. A person authorised
to make such arrest may, without being guilty of assault,
use sufficient violence to effect this arrest. In Scotland
a person not so authorised would commit an assault by
the attempt to arrest and be liable in damages to the
poacher if he used violence, while the poacher who
violently resisted the unauthorised attempt to arrest
him would be justifiably acting in self-defence. In
England and Ireland the Prevention of Offences Act,
1851, section n, authorises any person whatsoever to

54 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

apprehend any person found committing an indictable
offence in the night ; and this has been held to authorise
any one to arrest a person found committing an aggra-
vated offence against the Night Poaching Acts. It is
an aggravation of these offences if they are committed
by three or more persons acting in concert, provided
any of them be armed with gun, bludgeon, or other
offensive weapon.

Day poaching. — Trespassing in pursuit of game by
day, i.e. between the commencement of the last hour
before sunrise and the expiry of the first hour after sun-
set, is a less serious offence than night poaching, and
the law is different in each of the three kingdoms.

Day poaching in Ireland. — Trespassing in pursuit
of game in daylight is prohibited by the Game Trespass
Act, 1864. It needs no further mention here, as it
confers no special power on any one to enforce it or
turn trespassers off the ground, but merely provides a
penalty for such trespass. The keeper there must rely
on his common law right to turn trespassers off the land
on his master's orders.

Day poaching in Scotland. — The law is fixed by the
Day Trespass Act, officially called the Game( Scotland)
Act, 1 832. This Act imposes a penalty on any one who
trespasses on any land in the daytime (as defined above)
in pursuit of game or of deer, roe, woodcocks, snipes,
quails, landrails, wild ducks, or conies (i.e. rabbits).
The penalty is larger if the offender have his face
blackened or is otherwise disguised. A man who re-

SO ME POINTS IN LA W 55

mains on the high road may commit the trespass by
sending his dog into a field to chase rabbits or by act-
ing in concert with others who are in the fields in pursuit
of game, etc.

A man who has a perfect right to be on the lands
for another purpose may be convicted under this Act
of " unlawfully entering " if he takes game when on the
lands. For example, a farm servant whose employment
requires him to be on a particular field to plough, be-
comes a trespasser if he takes game on that field.

Any such trespasser may be required, by the person
having the right to kill game on the land, or the occupier,
or the gamekeeper, or other person authorised by either
of them, to quit the land and give his full name and
address. If he refuses to do either of these things,
the gamekeeper or other such person may apprehend
the offender and take him before the Sheriff. If the
offender cannot be brought before the Sheriff within
twelve hours of his arrest, he must be discharged, but
may be proceeded against for his offence by summons
or warrant. The gamekeeper (or other) may also re-
quire the offender to give up any game he has with
him, and, if he refuses, may take it from him.

The gamekeeper cannot be sued for anything wrong
he has done in carrying out the Act after six months
have elapsed since the act complained of.

A trespass to pick up dead game is not an offence
under this Act.

Day poaching in England. — The law as to day

56 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

poaching is contained in the Game Act, 1831. By that
Act a penalty is imposed on any one who trespasses in
the daytime (defined above) on any land in pursuit of
game or woodcocks, snipes, quails, landrails, or conies.
The penalty is increased if five or more persons so tres-
pass together. As in Scotland, the offender or offenders
may be ordered to quit the land and to give their names
and addresses, and, on refusal, may be arrested and
taken before a Justice of the Peace. If they cannot
be brought before a Justice within twelve hours, they
must be discharged, but may be proceeded against for
the offence by summons or warrant. They may also
be required to give up any game in their possession.
The persons authorised in England to make and enforce
these demands are the persons having the right of
killing game on the land, the occupier of the land, any
gamekeeper or servant of either of them, or any person
authorised by either of them, or, where the offence takes
place in a royal forest, park, chase, or warren, the
warden, ranger, verderer, forester, master-keeper, under-
keeper, or other officer thereof. Armed resistance
aggravates the offence. In England, persons who
unlawfully hunt, wound, or kill any deer in parks or
inclosed lands are guilty of felony, whether by night
or by day.

The Poaching Prevention Act, 1862 (25 and 26 Viet,
c. 1 14), applies to the United Kingdom. For the pur-
poses of the Act, "game" includes any one or more
hares, pheasants, partridges, woodcocks, snipes, rabbits,

SOME POINTS IN LAW 57

grouse, black or moor game, and eggs of pheasants,
partridges, grouse, and black or moor game. The Act
empowers any constable or peace officer in any high-
way, street, or public place to search any person whom
he may have good cause to soisp£ct_o£coming from any
land where he was unlawfully in pursuit of game, or
any person aiding or abetting him, and having in his
possession any game unlawfully obtained, or any gun,
partof a gun, or nets or engines used for killing or taking
game, and also to stop and search any cart or convey-
ance in which such constable shall have good cause to
suspect that any such game or such articles are being
carried by any such person, and if he (the constable)
finds such game or articles, to seize and detain them.
It must be noted that the powers of search and seizure
conferred by this Act are conferred on constables and
peace officers only. Consequently all that the keeper
can do to carry out this Act is to give information to
the constable, if his covers have been disturbed by
poachers, or if he has other reasons for supposing that
poaching is going on.

Things forbidden by law. — What the gamekeeper
must not do may be stated more shortly.

Poison. — In all three countries it is absolutely for-
bidden to put poison in any shape or form upon any
land, enclosed or unenclosed. This prohibition is not
only contained in many Acts relating to game, but is
extended by Special Acts to the use of poison for any
purpose — with the sole exception of the use of poison,

58 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

under very strict precautions, about a house or steading
for the destruction of rats, mice, and such small vermin.
In connection with this exception, the gamekeeper must
see that means are taken to prevent any dog from get-
ting at such poison.

Shooting on Simday or at night. — In England and
Ireland it is illegal to kill game on Sunday or Christmas
Day. There is no such direct prohibition in Scotland,
but the Act 1661, cap. 18, which has been held to be
still in force, prohibits salmon-fishing and all other pro-
fanation of the Sabbath day. It is doubtful whether
this Actis nowadays in force, and a conviction for shoot-
ing on Sunday could not probably be obtained if the
shooting did not go on so near to houses or churches
as to cause serious annoyance.

The use of firearms by night to kill ground game is
forbidden in all three countries, but the Acts forbidding
this in regard to other game do not extend to Ireland.
In England no one may use firearms within fifty feet
of the centre of a public roadway. In Scotland no one
may use firearms on or in any exposed situation near
a public roadway so as to cause annoyance to any
passenger thereon.

The Wild Birds Protection Acts.— One of the
ordinary duties of the keeper is the destruction of
vermin which might destroy the game which it is his
duty to preserve.

By a series of Acts (extending to the whole United
Kingdom) for the preservation of wild birds, it is pro-

SOME POINTS IN LA W 59

vided that a schedule be prepared for each county of
all the wild birds which are supposed to be quite harm-
less ; that the owner or occupier of the land, or any one
authorised by him, may at any time kill the birds not
included in the schedule ; but that no one may kill the
scheduled birds between ist March and ist August in
each year ; and that no one except such owner or occu-
pier or person authorised by either may kill any bird
between these dates.

The keeper will do well, before killing any birds
between these dates in order to protect his game, to
make sure that such birds are not included in the
schedule for his county, by application to the county
clerk. Two recent Wild Birds Protection Acts forbid
the use of pole-traps or hooks for the purpose of bird-
catching. Every person "who on any pole, tree, or
cairn of stones or earth shall place any spring trap or
gin, calculated to cause bodily injury to any wild bird
coming in contact therewith " commits an offence
punishable with a fine of forty shillings, or five pounds
on a second conviction. Any one who knowingly per-
mits it to be done is equally liable. By the Act of 1 908,
any person "who shall attempt to take any wild bird
by means of a hook or other similar instrument " is made
liable to the same penalties.

"Poaching" dogs and cats. — The ordinary game- *
keeper has no right to kill a dog or cat which is poaching
on the land under his charge. By so doing he makes
himself liable to have a civil action brought against him

60 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

by the owner to recover the value of the dog or cat.
If the dog or the cat is in the act of killing a valuable
bird or animal, the keeper might be held entitled to kill
such dog or cat, provided this were the only means of
saving such valuable animal or bird. The cases in
which this defence has been upheld are so rare that it
would be safer for the ordinary keeper to refrain from
such killing. Special powers, however, are given to
the gamekeepers of any lord of the manor, lordship, or
royalty, duly appointed under the hand and seal of the
lord on a ten-shilling stamp, and registered with the
clerk of the peace for the county. A keeper so ap-
pointed may seize and take for his master's use any
dogs, nets, and other instruments for taking game as
shall be used within such manor by any person not
authorised to kill game.

Similarprivilege is conferred upon the gamekeepers
duly appointed in the same manner upon any lands in
Wales of the clear annual value of ^500. By the Dogs
Act 1906, "any person who takes possession of a stray
dog " must either return it to its owner, or else send
written notice to the chief police officer of the district,
stating full particulars, under penalty of forty shillings.

Spring-guns. — A keeper must not set any spring-
gun or any trap which might be destructive either to
men or dogs, but it is quite lawful to set a spring-gun
with a detonating cartridge, which can only act as an
alarm signal.

It is hardly necessary to say that a gamekeeper

SOME POINTS IN LAW 61

who fires a gun at a poacher may be tried for assault
or murder, as the case turns out. Keepers, like police-
men, are sometimes placed in a very difficult position
when they have to deal with dangerous characters.
The legal rule is strict that in preventing crime the
guardians of law and order must use no more violence
than is absolutely necessary for the purpose. But any-
thing is legal which is really required in self-defence,
and even the killing of a wrong-doer is justifiable if
nothing else can save the life of an innocent person.

The question sometimes arises how far a person
shooting may follow his wounded game on to the land
of a neighbouring proprietor. The rule is that he may
follow game which is dead or on the point of death.
In this connection it may be noted that to enter land
for the purpose of taking dead game is not a breach of
the Day Trespass Act.

In regard to fishing, the law lays no special duties
on the gamekeeper and confers on him no special privi-
leges, so nothing need be said on that subject in this
chapter. Angling law is dealt with in Chapter XX.

Leading books on the game laws in the different
countries : —

Scotland — The Law of Scotland on the Game Laws, Trout and
Salmon Fishing. J. H. Tait. 155. Edinburgh : William Green £
Sons. 1901.

England — Oke's Game Laws. J. W. Bund. 145. London: Butter-
worth £ Co. 1897. Practical Guide to the Game Laws. C. Row. 55.
net. London : Longmans & Co. 1907.

Ireland — The Irish Game Laws. M'Carthy Conner. 6s. Dublin :
Hodges & Figgins. 1891. Supplement, is. 1903.

62

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NOTES

NOTES

CHAPTER VI

THE DOG — FROM A GAMEKEEPER'S POINT
OF VIEW

By Dr. CHARLES REID

TIME was when the dog was perhaps of more import-
ance in the field than it is now, when our grandfathers
sallied forth at break of day adorned in those quaint
and wondrous garments which still excite our admira-
tion, if not our envy, and with his trusty Joe Manton
and all the varied paraphernalia deemed necessary
accompanying, with, and by no means least, a dog,
most probably trained by himself, and from whose
prowess and excellence a large measure of his enjoy-
ment was sure to be derived. And in the evening,
over his pipe and his home-brewed, did not the mighty
deeds of " Don " and " Carlo " figure fully more prom-
inently in the conversation than in these degenerate
days? Most of us can recall and picture the satis-
faction of Charles St. John, after watching the futile
efforts of a brother sportsman on the other side of the
river Findhorn trying to retrieve in vain several active
"runners" in a turnip-field, when, having crossed the
river and politely offered his assistance, he, with the

68 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

aid of his " poodle," brought them to bag. Other men,
other ways. Still, the conditions are not so changed
that we can get through a day's sport without the
assistance of our canine friends, and it is in the hope
of bringing the importance of this still more promin-
ently before a very intelligent class of men that we are
encouraged to write these few pages. The average
sportsman is a tender-hearted man, of sensitive dis-
position, and nothing mars the day's pleasure more
than the feeling that, owing to having inferior dogs, a
number of wounded animals have not been picked up ;
and if, as probably he will be, a man who shoots a
good deal, he cannot help contrasting the result with
such and such a place where he has just been shooting,
and which, owing to the superior training of his friend's
dogs, was the source of much comment and much satis-
faction to the various ''guns." How often has the
present]writer heard in the smoking-room this remark,
made too by one who, from his experience, was a cap-
able judge : " I have only known three keepers in my
life to whom I could entrust a dog to train for me."
This, if true, shows how little the subject is attended
to by gamekeepers as a class, and the present writer
will sufficiently endorse it by remarking that the atten-
tion paid to this subject by gamekeepers as a whole is
far below what it ought to be. I do not altogether
blame them, but, on the contrary, I believe that owners
and shooting tenants are solely responsible for this state
of affairs. Not one in ten of shooting men takes any

THE DOG 69

interest in this subject, and it has become so common
for tenants to depend on getting their dogs from dealers
at the beginning of each season, regardless alike of their
appearance or their qualifications — in fact, they prob-
ably never set eyes on the animals till they, the sports-
men, arrived at their shooting quarters. Still, apart
from your peripatetic sportsman, we have a large class
who are more interested in their dogs, and who wish to
see them not only better looked after, but better trained,
who do not wish to have their sensitive feelings dis-
turbed and their sport marred either by the unnecessary
loss of wounded birds, or their minds haunted by the
frantic yells of " Carlo" under the lash, even though
the flagellation was well merited.

Even from a commercial point of view, it is im-
portant to consider this question, because the value of
game, unnecessarily lost, at the end of the season may
represent a total which would have been many times
the value or keep of a good dog.

It is part of a good keeper's duties to be able to
train a dog both for the moor and the covert, just as
well as he can rear pheasants or trap vermin ; and yet
how many do we find thoroughly proficient in these
latter who have the most elementary ideas on the sub-
ject of the former ? By contrast, and not by any means
by way of disparagement, we would point out another
class, who, with no better material to work upon, if so
good, get on the whole better results. We refer to
shepherds and their collies. We hear of the sagacity

70 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

and cleverness of the collie, but feel certain that the
great majority of gamekeepers will bear us out when
we state that the average sporting dog, pointer, re-
triever, or spaniel, is capable of a higher education than
their much- vaunted canine brother, and that, as a rule,
under more adverse conditions. Still, the average collie
is better trained than the average sporting dog. The
explanation is not far to seek. More work is put on
him, and so gradually that his brain can absorb and
remember — he is kept up to the mark by having to do
certain things daily, and not allowed to forget — he is
not taken out on a string half a dozen times a year
and expected to do a dozen different things of which
he never learnt the rudiments. Many readers may
suggest : " But we have not the shepherd's time to do
this, with so many other duties." Quite true, but it is
not necessary. Much can be done at odd times in the
spring before the nesting season, and again in the early
autumn before shooting begins. A few lessons during
ordinary exercise and at odd times have a wonderful
effect, and these, as is a mistake often made, not left
till the shooting day, when the excitement caused by
the appearance of game and the shooting is sufficient
to absorb the dog's whole mind. However, later on
we refer to this subject more fully.

Exhibition of Dogs

It is not necessary in a work of this kind to discuss
the vexed question of the influence of canine exhibi-

THE DOG 71

tions on the sporting dog. Much good has been done
by these, but, alas! much evil. The sporting dog, how-
ever, has suffered less than most other breeds, and on
the whole, in the writer's opinion, distinct benefit has
accrued, except in the case of the spaniel breed. This
is due to the fact that these others have not been
tampered with to the same extent by " fanciers" as
the spaniel has, and the result is seen in the numerous
grotesque creatures which appear on the bench, and
with considerable difficulty are able to walk a few times
round the judge's ring. With these, however, the
gamekeeper has nothing to do. The breed is right
enough, but by selection a non-sporting class has pro-
duced an animal unfitted for work owing to their (the
exhibitors) want of knowledge and the apathy of the
class who do know. One must remember, however,
that those are selected specimens, and that it is possible
to find animals of the same breed which are quite fit
and able for field work. The majority of our judges
of sporting dogs are men who are good sportsmen, and
who judge the animals from a working point of view.
So also are the majority of the exhibitors of sporting
dogs. For this reason the type of our best animals
which win on the bench is an improvement on the dog
of thirty years ago, and there is undoubtedly greater
uniformity. We would advise, therefore, our reader
to attend these exhibitions, not to walk round when
the dogs are benched, but to make a point of being-
present at the judging, to plant himself stolidly down

72 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

opposite the ring and to scrutinise carefully every
animal in it. If in addition he can get a friend with
more knowledge than himself to point out the good and
the bad points, he will find that his few hours have not
been misspent, and have their own reward in the future,
when he comes to select a puppy from a litter to train
himself. He will then appreciate what a heavy-loaded
shoulder, slack loins, or bad feet mean in a hard day's
work. This is by no means learnt in a day, though
some persons have an instinctive eye for the points
of an animal, and are, like the poet, born, not made.
Still, the average gamekeeper is an intelligent man,
and given the interest and the fact that this knowledge
is going to be useful to him in his profession, he will
soon be able to select an animal whose outward ap-
pearance at least fits him for the purpose required.

Selection of Dog

Without going into unnecessary details, perhaps a
few of the salient points which occur to the writer may
be of service in choosing a sporting dog, whether
pointer, setter, or retriever. Suppose you have the
choice of a litter of puppies old enough to train, and
therefore of an age to enable one to judge what the
future animal will develop into — ask the owner to let
them all run free in a paddock, and carefully watch
their movements. Assuming that the puppies are all
in good health, not only do you learn very quickly
which is the best mover, but you note also the disposi-

THE DOG 73

tion and temperament of the various animals. Look
at that bold young scamp, full of life, racing round at
the head of the others, chasing every butterfly, leaf,
or moving thing, and contrast him with this other timid,
nervous creature, afraid of his own shadow. It doesn't
require an expert to tell you which will give you most
trouble and develop into the better animal. If you find
several of the former kind, then so much the better.
You can now look over them at close quarters. Let
us hope your fancy has a bright, full, intelligent, dark
eye. As in the higher animals, including human beings,
the eye is a real index of the character. Most judges
object to a light yellow eye or a small sunken eye ; and
rightly so, because as a general rule you will find the
former wild, erratic animals, and the latter dour and
stubborn. The head should be big, with plenty of room
for brains, and if nicely rounded over the skull proper,
preferable to an angular one. The tendency at the
present time is to have a long head in all our breeds,
but the fallacious and evil part of it is this elongation
at the expense of the skull proper. It began with
collies, then fox-terriers and Scotch terriers, and has
even invaded our sporting breeds. The moment a
dog shows some width between the ears, and he natur-
ally gets thicker somewhat as he gets older, then he is
supposed by certain breeders to be "past." In the
same manner, when he develops some muscle at the
sides of his head to use those long jaws, he has become
" coarse " and unfit for exhibition. Could anything be

74 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

more absurd ? We, however, have something different
in our eye — we require all the brains we can get in our
dog, and we are going, therefore, to select that puppy
with the big head, skull nicely rounded, with a muzzle
of moderate proportions, terminating in a nose of good
size and open nostrils. Whether retriever or pointer,
we want a level mouth, neither undershot nor overshot
— the former condition is almost never seen, but the
so-called snipey muzzle is a common defect in our
retrievers at the present time, and a bad one.

The neck should be of a good length to give
" carriage " to the animal, and set on shoidders which
slope well back, and the tops of the shoulder-blades
should come high up and fairly close together. As in
a hunter, you cannot have pace and staying power with
the reverse of these.

The chest, looking at it from the front, should be
narrow ; but behind the shoulders should be deep from
above downwards, and ribs springing well outwards,
giving a good " barrel." This should be continued
right back to the free or short ribs. If deficient there
and great apparent length in the loins, you have a
" slack " animal, without endurance.

The loins should therefore be firm, almost slightly
arched, with plenty of room from the projecting iliac
bones to the root of the tail.

The thighs should be strong and muscular, with
hocks well let down — neither " cow-hocked " nor bend-
ing outwards and short below. If your dog is to gallop

THE DOG 75

freely through heather or jump a fence, as in the case
of a retriever, he must be good in his hind quarters.

And the feet, too, are of the first importance. No
matter how good he is in the foregoing points, with bad
feet he will be a failure. See that those are of a suitable
size, compact, toes close, not spreading and arched.

The chief points, therefore, to be desired in a work-
ing dog are a good head and eye, light shoulders, strong
loins, powerful thighs, and compact feet. Given those
in our chosen puppy, and we start well with an animal
better than our neighbour's, and we hope to make him
above the average in other respects.

Training a Dog

It would be quite impossible in our limited space to
give full instructions on this subject ; and, moreover,
there exist so many capital treatises on this subject that
it is unnecessary. In our opinion, therefore, it will serve
a more useful purpose to point out some of the errors
which many trainers make in the training of their dogs,
and, if possible, to suggest the remedy. At this stage,
we would like to recall to any novice the importance of
an aid of great value in the hands of our grandfathers,
and which unfortunately, in our opinion, has fallen into
disuse. We refer to the use of the check-cord. By its
means the most refractory puppy can be brought to
reason in a third of the time and with a minimum of
labour, and certainly with greater comfort to the pupil
and his master. We shall refer to this again.

76 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

" Down" and "Down Charge" — It does seem a
simple matter to put a dog down and to keep him there,
but in actual practice what do we find ? Not one in ten
will do so and remain there till they are ordered other-
wise. In the old muzzle-loading days, of course, it was
absolutely essential to give the guns time to reload, and,
in our opinion, should be strictly enforced, particularly
in the case of pointer or setter. In training any dog,
including retrievers, by teaching them this habit early,
you obtain a command early of the animal which makes
succeeding lessons infinitely more simple. Begin by
putting the puppy down at your feet, gradually increas-
ing the distance ; if he moves take him back to the same
spot. You may move about, keeping your eye on him at
firsttillyou are able to go any distance without movement
on his part. On no account must the dog be allowed to
move till he gets a command either by " signal or call."

The value of this lesson is appreciated when the dog
is taken first among game. The trainer must be con-
sistent, and what is at first very irksome to your excit-
able and high-couraged youngster in a very short time
becomes a mechanical habit. Sometimes you will have
difficulty with a timid, nervous puppy in preventing him
from running into your feet. In such a case avoid any
punishment, but patiently return him to the original
spot. If he persists and you punish him, then he prob-
ably bolts. Rather than punish, try the cord and hitch
it round a peg or post, so that when he moves a pull in
the other direction will show him what you wish.

THE DOG 77

From this to " Down charge " becomes a very easy
step indeed, again remembering that he is not to be
allowed to move till commanded by signal or "call."
The advantage of firing some caps or small charges
during this early training is twofold : you decrease the
risk of causing gun shyness and you avoid the excite-
ment which it causes in the presence of game. In our
opinion a very common mistake is to take a young dog
to the second part of his education before the first is
complete and endeavour to teach those primary lessons
in the field. This is undoubtedly wrong, and renders
the task a difficult one, which is otherwise so simple.
The advantages of having a dog which drops to hand
or "shot" in the field are sufficiently obvious. In
practice what do we usually find ? " Duke " or " Don,"
if he does "down charge," does so only for a moment,
and then he is off to have a look at a dead bird, putting
up some others on the way, or the repeated shouts of
his trainer effectually does this. In extreme cases we
perhaps have a race between master and dog who is to
get the bird first, and if Don wins the feathers begin
to fly.

Use of "Call" or " Whistle."— We cannot too
strongly impress also the proper use of a suitable call
instead of the human voice. It is too heart-breaking
for words to find a whole hillside cleared of grouse,
covey after covey of grouse responding to the frantic
shouts of "Don," "Don," "Heel," "Heel," or to
witness a fine "show" of partridges, which you have

78 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

with infinite labour driven into the " roots," " clearing "
out in all haste at the end. Even more marked is the
result of the human voice in snipe-shooting. A dog
readily answers, and once he knows its use, if he fails
to respond to a second call, a little gentle reminder is
necessary. The two most common mistakes made are
the too frequent use of the call, which causes negligence
on the dog's part ; and, secondly, failure to moderate
the volume according to the distance between master
and pupil. Naturally, if the sound is used to its full
extent when the animal is a few yards off, it does not
impress the animal when he is at a distance, perhaps,
of one hundred yards. The most successful trainers
of dogs which we have met were very quiet in their
manner, and used signs as much as possible — only
resorting to the call when impossible to attract the dog's
attention by hand.

Range. — Most young dogs will run out freely, and
if not, then the example of an old dog will soon be
followed. Where many err is in allowing the dog at
first to pursue his erratic course, and allow him to
believe that he is hunting for his own amusement, and
not yours. Make a point of starting the dog to range
to one side or other, and see that he does it. For some
reason or other, many dogs will run a short distance and
then turn sharp to the other side, thereby missing a
particular piece of ground which you wish him to take.
Call him up at once, and see that he does what you
wish. In the same way get him into the habit of

THE DOG 79

mechanically crossing his ground thoroughly, and later,
when he increases in wisdom, you may permit him more
freedom of judgment. Neither is it good to allow your
dog to be working half a mile away, either on the beat
below you or the one above which you intend to take
next. By teaching the proper " range " thoroughly at
first you avoid this, nor do you find him at the far end
of a field of " roots" before you have hardly entered.
The nature of the work required will determine the
requisite training : you require a more bold and free-
running dog for a moor, where birds are few and far
between, than for a well-stocked moor or on low ground,
where you are working in enclosures. For this reason
your training will be different on a well-stocked moor
on the mainland, from what it would be if moor shooting
were on the western islands.

Pointing. — As a rule this is not a difficult matter
to teach — most puppies will stand on scenting game,
and the example of an old dog may be useful. Here
the use of the check-cord is of the greatest value, for it
enables you to steady him for any length of time you
wish and effectually prevent chasing birds when they
rise, rendering excessive punishment unnecessary. A
good plan is to find your birds with an old steady dog,
which the young one is quick to observe, then with the
end of the cord in your hand you " steady " him also for
a few minutes — the chances are that he also gets their
scent, then flush your birds, putting both dogs " down,"
and carefully mark them down. Now take up the old

8o THE KEEPER'S BOOK

dog, go to the place where you know they are, and allow
the young one to find them, taking care that the end of
the cord is within reach. Whenever he winds them,
then repeat "Steady" or " To ho," and repeat the
previous performance. Having done this, the rest is
easy. Two lessons of this kind are often sufficient, and,
assuming that this has been done in the spring, when
birds sit so well before the nesting season, it will only
require a few points before the Twelfth to produce a
dog that is fit to take his turn with the others. The only
precaution necessary is not to run him too long and too
much. No man can have really good dogs who keeps
them going when they are tired — nothing spoils his
ranging sooner. When on this subject we would again
point out the importance of thoroughly teaching his dog
those preliminary lessons before he is taken to game.
Very little of the latter is necessary before he is fit to
be shot over — much less than most persons imagine.
Many owners and tenants of shootings refuse to allow
their keepers to train dogs on their ground, in the belief
that it disturbs and injures their sport. That it does so
undoubtedly if a brace, perhaps, of well-grown lively
puppies are taken on to a moor and allowed to career
wildly after every moving object, but knowing as we do,
and have tried now to show, that so little is necessary
if the greater part of the training is done, as it should
be, before they see game, we think that keepers should
be allowed considerably more latitude in this respect,
and the benefits to the owner in having better dogs

THE DOG Si

would be the immediate result, with a handsome
addition to his servant's yearly income.

"Heel" — It is also unnecessary to give instructions
how to keep a dog to heel, but again in practice how
unsatisfactory is the observance of this simple rule ! As
we have already pointed out in the abuse of the " call,"
the constant repetition produces neglect to obey. The
dog is called to ''heel," which he obeys, perhaps, for
thirty seconds, till he finds something attractive to his
eyes, or more frequently his nose — he is allowed to do
this with impunity till a little more confidence and
freedom on his part attracts attention, and he is again
called to " heel." Few things are more irritating to
good sportsmen who understand the "game" than the
misuse of " heel " and the abuse of the " whistle " ; and
if the user is armed with one of those instruments
usually seen in the hands of our friend " Robert," then
good-bye to a pleasant day's sport. And yet the remedy
is so simple, viz. a little suitable reminder, or, in the
case of a shy, timid dog, the use of the check-cord till
the habit is fixed. Again, the importance of this it is
almost unnecessary to point out, for how often does not
the necessity of keeping to " heel " arise in a day's sport
either to save the dog himself unnecessary work or for
the welfare of the sport itself.

Running in to " Shot." — Of all errors in the training
of our dog this is the most common, and probably the
worst. Unfortunately, too, when once become a con-
firmed habit, it is almost impossible to remedy. Of

82 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

course in the case of a " setting " dog it is not usually
so marked, because, unless he has been taught to
retrieve, he rarely bolts in at once on his game, but,
even in the case of a setter, it may mean a diminished
bag through flushing other birds before the guns have
reloaded. By insisting on the " down charge," as we
have already pointed out, we find the prevention, and
the sole cause is the want of consistency on the part of
the trainer. On no account should the dog be allowed
to move without word of command, and if he does, then
let him be punished more or less severely according to
the particular temperament of the animal. The punish-
ment may only be a verbal reproof or something more
tangible, but escape one or other he must not. Here,
again, the check-cord is of great value, and if a dog is
interrupted when half-way to his game, the effect is
more salutary than a dozen severe thrashings.

Over -training. — Occasionally one sees a retriever
trained most thoroughly, who does everything he is
commanded perfectly, and yet he is of small value at
work. Why ? Because he is a machine — the dog has
no confidence in himself. If put on to find a bird, he
gives in at once and returns to heel ; or the moment he
loses the scent he looks to his master for guidance. This
is pure habit, of course. Had the dog been allowed to
use his own judgment — i.e. had his master, even though
he knew the dog was wrong, allowed him to find out this
for himself a few times, he would have produced a better
dog.

THE DOG 83

Use of Eyes instead of Nose. — Also a common error
made by many. To save trouble, or, it may be, from
delight in seeing the young dog carry so well, he is
allowed to retrieve what he sees — he does this, perhaps,
thirty times for once that he is asked to find something
which he hasn't seen fall, or, worse still, is in his view
all the time. Should one be astonished, therefore, that
his first idea is to use his eyes, and continue to do so
while that cock pheasant is making tracks for the next
country, or that winged partridge had made a dozen
sharp doubles in the rank turnips ? Had he used his
nose at first, he ought to have had that bird in twenty
yards instead of delaying the guns for ten minutes or
more, probably losing his game altogether. Another
common fault is in allowing a young dog to run too far
out to retrieve his game — he sees the bird fall, and is
allowed to go ; in many cases he overruns the spot in
his keenness. To remedy this he ought to be taken
near the place and given the advantage of the wind
before he is told to "seek dead." All this should be
done quietly, and if too impulsive, he should be cautioned
with the word " Steady." Undoubtedly some dogs are
from the first better than others at marking birds down,
but the chief fault lies more with the trainer in not in-
culcating this habit of " seeking close" at first till he
strikes the trail, and then giving him a chance of doing
the rest himself. The less the young retriever sees of
"fur" at first the better; indeed, many good trainers
refuse to allow their dogs to touch hares or rabbits for

84 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

at least two seasons, and the practice has much to com-
mend it. Probably one sees better-trained retrievers at
covert shoots than elsewhere, because unless he is a
wise man the owner does not produce his worst on these
occasions, and possibly the temptation to run riot is not
so great. To make a really good retriever requires much
more time and patience than either pointer or setter.
Begin early, but be careful not to put so much work
on the animal as to produce the effect such as I have
already alluded to under " Over-training."

Temperament. — To be really successful with his
dogs, the trainer ought to study their character as he
would a human being. Like the "higher animal," he
has his peculiarities, which must be recognised, other-
wise a half-trained animal, or even failure, will be the
result. How often do we hear that So-and-so is a
" good man," but very severe with his clogs ? In every
litter you will find no two alike, and to mete out the
same treatment to all spells failure at once. The trainer
who recognises this early saves himself an incalculable
amount of trouble and produces better animals.

Choice of Particular Breed

It is unnecessary to give advice as to a choice of a
particular breed. Owners of pointers advance many
reasons on behalf of their favourites as against the
various breeds of setter, while the owners of the latter
are equally strong on the other side. While it may be
that on an exceptionally dry moor the shorter- coated

THE DOG 85

animal has a slight advantage, we do not think that this
is of great importance, and fancy is allowed to determine
the preference. For similar reasons a decision is made
between the curly and the heavy-coated retrievers, and
between the various breeds of spaniel.

Of much greater importance is to satisfy oneself that
the particular animal springs from a good kind, and that
from his structure is fitted for the work required. There
is no reason why a dog should not both be good-look-
ing and a good worker. Many of our best dogs on
the bench are capital workers, and it is pure ignorance
on the part of those who hold that the whole of our
exhibition dogs are useless for sporting purposes.

Assistance can begot from Books. — The great body
of our gamekeepers are intelligent men, and thoroughly
capable of understanding what is written on this subject,
and they have scope in the numerous and inexpensive
books published on dogs and their training. Unfortu-
nately, the majority are content to follow in the foot-
steps of the "head" with whom they served their
apprenticeship, who, however capable he was in con-
ducting a grouse drive or rearing pheasants, had
neglected this branch of his trade. This is not as it
should be, and we would again impress on every keeper
who takes a pride in his work the necessity and the
advantages of being "a good man with dogs." We
would advise him to study works such as Dog Break-
ing, by General Hutchison, or Training of Retrievers,
by Colonel Henry Smith, and not merely to rest

86 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

content to teach a dog obedience, but by patience and
perseverance to develop to its utmost the natural in-
telligence of the animal. His experience in course of
time will tell him that some of his protege's will not be
capable of attaining a high level, but he will meet with
others which respond to all his care, and in developing
whose good qualities the trainer will feel that he has
had a well-merited return apart from the many encom-
iums bestowed by his confreres.

The More Common Ailments of Dogs

We have not space to treat this subject as fully as
its importance would justify, but probably if we mention
the more common ailments met with in the dog, and
capable of being intelligently treated by the average
gamekeeper, our purpose will best be served. In this
category we include such diseases as Distemper,
Dyspepsia, Rickets, Chorea or St. Vitus' Dance, Fits,
Paralysis, Mange, Disorders of Kidneys, Heart
Disease, Dropsy, Congestion of Brain, Constipation,
Diarrhoea, etc.

It may be more convenient at this period to give
some remarks on the ailments of puppyhood, which,
as a rule, are simple and not numerous. Many a good
puppy is lost from want of a little care. Occasionally
it happens that a puppy is born "tongue-tacked," and
unable to suck properly, which is only remedied by a
" snip " with sharp scissors. The writer also has known
a whole litter lost within a week of birth owing to the

THE DOG 87

teats of the dams being so enlarged that the puppies
could not get suitable nourishment. This would be
likely to happen only in the case of the dam that had
previously several litters ; but if she brought other
litters up successfully, on this occasion the true cause
might be more easily missed. The remedy was easily
found on a future occasion by providing a foster-mother.

Constipation at this early stage sometimes gives
trouble, for which a little castor oil is advisable, and it
is good practice at any time during this period to do so
whenever a puppy is seen to be restless, whining, or
not sucking with the others. The common mistake
made is doing so when too late. The use of an enema
syringe, even the small glass ear-syringe, with soapy
warm water, may be found of great value in an urgent
case.

Your intelligent and careful keeper will prevent the
ordinary ailments of puppyhood better by attention to
the dam before their birth, and we would specially point
out the advisability of allowing the dam to run about
during at least two weeks before the expected arrival
of the litter. If asked, however, to what the excessive
mortality in puppyhood is due, we would unhesitatingly
say worms. Here, again, prevention is better than
cure. See that the dam is treated for worms before
impregnation ; and also recollect that vermin may be
the means of introducing these pests, for it has recently
been proved conclusively that the " flea " acts as a host
during an intermediate stage of the development of the

88 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

parasite, and it is obvious how both the dam and the
puppies can be thus infected. It may be advisable to
wait till the puppies are weaned before treating for
these, but if necessary, treatment should not be delayed.
The most common worm at this period is the " round "
worm, pointed at both ends, whose habitat is the
stomach and small intestine. Their presence may be
noted in the vomit, or later in the faeces, and it is safe
to assume that they are present if the puppy is dry in
his coat, more or less emaciated, with abdomen over-
distended, or accompanied in an extreme case with fits.
Santonin is the remedy, given fasting, in doses of -J,
i, or 2 grains, according to age and size of puppy. An
equal amount of calomel seems to increase the action
of the drug, or followed by a small dose of castor oil.
If necessary, this should be repeated in a few days.

Rickets is also another common ailment of puppy-
hood, caused by errors usually in diet, and, second-
arily, insanitary or unsuitable surroundings. From our
experience the former is the usual cause, i.e. the food
is given in too large quantities and seldom, instead of
small and often. A puppy after weaning ought to be
fed at least four times a day till he is three, or even four
months old, and thrice daily till six months. Milk
should form the chief portion, and the solids increased
with his age. If skim milk can only be used, then the
fat must be replaced by the addition of cod-liver oil or
other fat ; and where size is of importance, as in most
sporting dogs, great benefit will be derived by the

THE DOG 89

addition of a preparation of hypophosphates, such as
the popular Parrish's syrup or Chemical food. We
would here emphasise the importance of using new milk
as much as possible ; no other article of diet can replace
it if you wish to do j ustice to your puppies. The starchy
foods, meat, potatoes, etc., may be introduced gradually,
but very sparingly at first. Under the secondary cause
of rickets we would include a damp or cold bed, want
of exercise, etc., and though many breeders consider
these as the cause of rickets, still, in our opinion, the
primary cause is to be found in errors in diet such as
we have mentioned, and these last are often contribu-
tory. In many otherwise capital kennels the arrange-
ments for the rearing of puppies are too often defective,
and if the owner can possibly manage, we advise him
to send them out to " walk " at a farmhouse or with a
cottager who possesses a cow. At the critical period
— between the second and fourth months — the keeper
can inspect the puppies every fortnight at least, and
remedy any faults in overfeeding, etc. Where possible,
also, board them out in pairs for the sake of the
additional exercise which they get in playing with
each other.

Distemper is the greatest scourge of the canine
world, and, unfortunately, the treatment is also far from
what it should be. Again, space will not allow us here
to go fully into this matter. As in most things where
you find such a difference of opinion, the probability is
that the right one is still to be discovered. Vaccination

90 THE KEEPERS BOOK

with calf lymph has had many advocates, but the balance
of opinion is against it being of any value, though we
still live in hope that a serum will be found which will
do for distemper what antitoxin now does for diphtheria.
We would here point out to keepers that distemper is
a specific fever caused by the presence of a poison in
the system, that the symptoms vary according to the
virulence of the epidemic and the particular animal
affected — that, therefore, to treat the patient intelli-
gently, one must not pin one's faith to So-and-so's ball
or powder, but rather skilfully prescribe for each step
of the disorder. When the animal is first affected it is
good treatment to give a dose of opening medicine, but
not a severe purgative ; to feed often with light, sloppy
food, chiefly of milk or broth. For medicine, half to
one tablespoonful of spirit of mindererus twice or thrice
daily, and even more often if fever is high. If powder
is preferred, then 5 to TO grains of nitrate of potash
may be given at several intervals. In the majority of
cases this is sufficient, and a recovery takes place. If
cough is troublesome, or the animal is " wheezy," 5 to
10 drops of ipecacuanha wine may be added to the
mindererus spirit. In bad forms you may get head
symptoms early, when the dog becomes restless, even
delirious, and to treat this you may give 10 to 30 grains
of bromide alone or with tinct. of hyoscyamus, 10 to 30
minims. Pneumonia is, however, the usual complica-
tion in fatal cases, occurring, too, most frequently after
the acute symptoms have subsided. The ignorant

THE DOG 91

owner thinks that a walk would do the animal good, or
even a wash, and the result is disastrous. Prevention
here again is the first essential, but if the presence of
such a complication is recognised by the rapid and
laboured breathing, then apply hot fomentations —
remembering, too, that the animal usually lies on
the affected side — mustard and whisky ; turpentine
sprinkled on the hot cloths may be applied, and if
necessary, when the case demands, don't hesitate to
remove the hair over that side before applying the
counter-irritants. Whatever doubt one may have
about giving stimulants at the onset of an ordinary
pneumonia, there can be none in this form, and we
would give it freely, — whisky, port, beef-tea, eggs, etc.,
in small quantities and at regular intervals. For
medicine, strychnia, carbonate of ammonia, etc., have
great value, but the former should only be given under
skilled advice.

Chorea, or St. Vitus Dance, is a very common
sequel to distemper, and much more intractable than
in human beings. When the spasmodic, jerking move-
ments occur during the attack, bromide of potash, in
doses already referred to, would be useful, and recently
salicylate of soda in lo-grain doses, with twice the
amount of bicarbonate of soda, has been found valuable.
This should be given three or four times daily, and the
dose gradually increased. Iron and arsenic later as a
tonic and the latter alone pushed may cure. Fowler's
solution in doses of 2-iom. is given twice daily and

92 THE KEEPERS BOOK

increased till it causes redness of eyes or symptoms
of irritation of the alimentary tract, such as vomiting,
diarrhoea, etc.

For Fits or Convulsions occurring in distemper, the
treatment already given above under distemper will
suffice, and, indeed, in all cases where the cause is not
known. The keeper will remember that these are only
symptoms, not necessarily an organic disease, and to
treat intelligently he will try to find what is causing
them, remembering that worms are a very common
cause. Again, if the fit occurs soon after a meal in a
dog of gross appetite, the treatment is obvious. If in
an old dog, and if he has noticed blindness on one side,
he may suspect some pressure on brain from tumour
or other cause. Therefore, find the cause, if possible.
Bromide of potash again will be valuable, and may be
combined with iodide of potash.

It is unnecessary to go fully into diseases of the
heart, kidneys, etc., which really belongs more to the
veterinary surgeon. A simple diuretic, such as min-
dererus spirit or nitre, is useful in relieving kidney
irritation such as dogs often suffer from after hard
work.

Mange. — This malady is far too common in most
kennels, especially when one knows that it is prevent-
ible. The so-called red or virulent form is equally
easy to check if treated at once, though equally difficult
later, and we have found the various mercurial ointments
the most efficacious. The green oxide of mercury

THE DOG 93

ointment, one part to two of lard, when applied daily
on the appearance of the patch of mange, generally
cures, and a dressing of sulphur and oil, followed by
a good washing with carbolic or Jeye's fluid properly
diluted, generally effects a cure. Paraffin oil is also
very valuable, but should be diluted with oil or an
emulsion made with soft soap.

Eczema. — Forpatches there is nobetter remedy than
white precipitate ointment, which may be diluted with
an equal part of zinc ointment. If dry and scaly and
more chronic, some tarry preparations may be added.
The food also should be changed, more vegetables
given, and Fowler's solution tried in obstinate cases.

Rheiimatisni. — The salicylates are now so well known
in the treatment of this complaint, that every keeper
ought to be able to administer them at once. The
salicylate of soda is perhaps the most easily procurable
and the most easily administered, both horses and dogs
taking it in their food. From 5 to 15 grains twice
daily, or every four hours in acute cases, will work like
a charm. In more obstinate cases, 5 to 10 grains
of the iodide of potash given twice daily for some
weeks is also good treatment. Milk should also form
a considerable proportion of the diet, and mild occa-
sional doses of aperient medicine.

Wounds. — A keeper ought to be able to sew up
wounds when necessary, and the addition of a few
surgical needles, with ligature silk, horsehair, or stout
fishing gut will often come in useful. He should, of

94 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

course, wash the wound thoroughly with a weak solu-
tion of carbolic, Condy's fluid, or other antiseptic, and
muzzle the animal to prevent him tearing open the
wound.

Eyes. — Inflammation of eyes can easily be treated
satisfactorily at the outset with weak lotions of boracic
acid or alum — just sufficient to make it perceptible to
one's own taste. For more chronic cases, of yellow
oxide of mercury two grains to an ounce of simple
ointment — a small piece of the size of a pea rubbed
along the eyelids — is valuable. Here also the strength
of the ointment may be increased considerably if found
necessary.

Kennels. — Most of the diseases from which our dogs
suffer are preventible, and bad damp kennels are re-
sponsible for as many of the diseases as the negligence
of the keeper. It is difficult to determine whether
to pay the keeper for feeding the dogs by the week
(two shillings per week per dog being considered a
fair price), or simply to order in for him a stock of feed-
ing stuffs. In the latter case the dogs are generally
sure of getting the feeding, while in the former case
a keeper often tries to make profit off the dogs, and
we have known instances of starving and improper
feeding. Wooden floors which one sometimes sees in
kennels for the purpose of preventing rheumatism are
an abomination ; they are very difficult to keep clean.
The ideal kennel to our mind is one of which we give
apian and dimensions by Alex. Cairns, architect, Hope

THE DOG 95

Street, Glasgow, and can be seen at Glenreasdell,
Argyll, by any one. The kennels face south, and
alongside of them stands the keeper's house. The
building is surrounded by a wire fence 7 ft. high,
covered with 3 in. mesh wire netting, enclosing a
small park of 3 acres, where the dogs can have
exercise, and into which they are turned when the
kennels are being cleaned. A burn also runs
through this enclosure, where they can bathe in
warm weather. This, to our mind, is an ideal
situation.

Iron roofs should not be used for kennels, as they
are extremely hot in summer, and insufferably cold in
winter. Where they at present exist, it is a good plan
to cover them with sods of grass, which in time grow
together ; such a covering, with a little top dressing, will
last for ten or fifteen years, and will keep the kennels
cool in summer and warm in winter.

It will be seen in the plan that the kennels are
built on stone piers 2 ft. off the ground. On these
piers are laid old iron rails, and transversely placed
are a number of old iron rods ; any suitable scrap
iron will do equally well to hold the cement.
Under the iron beams erect a temporary support of
wood on which to lay the first coat of cement, which
should consist of three parts of broken brick or stones
to one part of cement of first-class quality, give a
gentle slope of 2 or 3 in. to the front, when hard,
finish smooth with two of sharp sand to one of cement.

96 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

The walls are built of stone or brick and rough cast,
and when the floor is thoroughly set, the wooden
supports should be removed. It will be noticed that
underneath the floor is a very large space which is useful
for storing pheasant coops, coals, or anything that
requires to be kept dry and out of the way. The back
part is fitted with divisions for a bothy, and store-room
or boiler-house for the preparation of the dogs' food.
A brick wall divides the sleeping accommodation for the
dogs. The walls are cemented flat and the sleeping
bench is of wood 20 in. off the ground. A two-inch
board is placed as a ledge, covered with strap iron to
prevent the dogs biting it. The doors into the run,
instead of having the usual shutter, have an opening
26 in. by 1 1 in. wide, 6 in. from ground. Close-fitting
swing doors are hung on these by two small pivots
at the top sides, so that the dogs going out and in
have only to push their head against the shutter, walk
through, and it swings back into place. The dogs
soon get accustomed to this, and the door being always
shut prevents draughts, ventilation coming in through
the eaves of the house. The walls of the run should
be of flat cement, and should not be over 2 \ ft. high,
a cement cope of 6 in. on which the railings, of 5 ft,
are set, makes a total height of about 8 ft. The
object of the low walls is to allow the sunshine and air
to dry the run after washing. The old-fashioned high
walls, meant for shelter, act as a shade, and prevent
entrance of sunshine, the walls become Qreen and

THE DOG 97

mouldy, and the dogs contract rheumatism. If it is
too cold for the dogs to be outside, they can get shelter
inside. It will be noticed the fireplace in store and
bothy is against the centre dividing wall and gives heat
to two of the dog houses, which are useful to place sick
dogs in. Poles 18 in. high and 4 in. in diameter near
the gutter should be fixed in the floor of each run for
dogs to lift their leg against. The gutter drained to
the lowest end should run the whole length of the
kennels, with an outlet pipe which falls into a tank or
cesspool with two divisions, the second of which is filled
with coke to act as a septic tank. From the top of
the second chamber a small fireclay pipe will run to
take the water away, and will discharge itself at some
distance into the ground, which can be improved by
a few carts of gravel. This will form a second filter
for the water before it enters the stream, and will keep
the outside of the kennels clean and dry. Water should
always be led into the kennels. On each run there
should be a wooden platform or bench 8 in. off ground
for dogs to sit out on.

A very good plan to stop dogs from the bad habit
of wetting their bed is to have a folding lid of light
spars shutting down about 1 7 above the bench accord-
ing to size of dog, so that there will be just room for
dogs to get in, but not space enough to stand up in.
If this is done dogs will not be able to continue the
bad habit.

THE KEEPER'S BOOK

THE DOG

99

s

100

THE KEEPER'S BOOK

KEEPER S HOUSE AND KENNELS.

GLENREASDELL KENNELS.

KENNELS, SOUTH VIEW.

NOTES

NOTES

CHAPTER VII

VERMIN
By TOM SPEEDY

THE first essential condition in order to increase a stock
of game on an estate is the destruction of vermin. As
soon as game begin to increase, vermin will arrive upon
the scene, although how and from what quarter they
have introduced themselves are among those mysteries
in natural history which are as yet unexplained. As
bearing somewhat on the subject, it may be mentioned
that in a recent visitation of a plague of voles, when
these rodents threatened to devastate the pasture-lands
in the Border counties, a foreign owl, the short-eared
species, which, though an occasional winter visitant to
this country, has only on rare occasions been previously
known to breed with us in any numbers, congregated
in hundreds in the vole-invested districts and nested in
the heather. Whence they came in such numbers must
ever remain a mystery, but there they suddenly appeared.
I have noted a similar coincidence with regard to game.
I have introduced hares to an island, where they at first
rapidly increased. The eagle and the buzzard soon
made their appearance, and nested on the island, when

103

104 THE KEEPERS BOOK

the hares vanished at an alarming rate. It must there-
fore be manifest that a fundamental principle in game-
preserving is, that a sharp eye be kept on the destruction
of vermin.

There are few things more interesting than the trap-
ping of vermin, and no keeper will prove very success-
ful in this task unless he makes a careful study of the
object of his pursuit. By keeping a diary in which to
note carefully the kinds of vermin got, and by duly
recording the contents of their stomach, or crop and
gizzard, the young keeper will, with a few years' ex-
perience, possess an amount of knowledge which will
give him power among his fellows. So much nonsense
is written on this subject, that, without practical ac-
quaintance with thehabits of the various kindsof vermin,
he may be very easily led astray by non-practical writers
promulgating their fanciful theories. When man first
appeared on the scene there, was, presumably, what some
are pleased to call the " balance of nature. " Man, how-
ever, was given dominion over the beasts of the field
and over the fowls of the air ; and by gradually de-
stroying those which were useless and those which
preyed on others which were useful to him, a somewhat
different state of things was by-and-by arrived at. A
few hundred years ago, wolves, foxes, and other vermin
were so plentiful in this country that sheep-farming
was out of the question. By killing down the wolves
and other large beasts of prey, sheep-farming became
so far a success. It was found, however, that a similar

VERMIN 105

crusade had to be waged against birds as well as against
beasts of prey. Sir William Jardine, in his " Naturalists'
Library," tells us regarding eagles : " Such was the
depredation committed among the flocks during the
season of lambing that every device was employed
and expense incurred by rewards for their destruction.
From March 1831 to March 1834, in the county of
Sutherland alone, 171 old birds with 53 young and
eggs were destroyed."

Now that sheep-farming hardly pays and grouse
have become so valuable, it is necessary to cultivate the
latter by destroying their natural enemies, in the same
manner as it was necessary to destroy the wolves, etc.,
for the sake of the sheep. Of ground vermin we have
the badger, otter, fox, pole-cat, stoat, weasel, hedgehog,
and rat. Among winged vermin we have the hawk
species, from the eagle down to the merlin. The game-
preserver has chiefly to guard against the peregrine
falcon, the sparrow-hawk, and the merlin ; also the
corvidae — ravens, carrion-crows, and magpies. There
are others which do very considerable destruction to
game, but not invariably so. Amongst these may be
mentioned rooks, jays, jackdaws, kestrels, and owls.

It is with a feeling of regret that I classify the
badger with vermin. Being brought up in the historic
Border land, and inheriting the hunting spirit of my
ancestors, I in my boyhood regarded badger, fox, and
otter hunting as the chief end of man. Badger hunts on
the banks of the lower reaches of the Tweed are still to

106 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

me a pleasing remembrance. Of late years the badger
has in many places disappeared, in consequence of the
common use of the steel trap. Many gentlemen, how-
ever, and notably the Earl of Rosebery, are preserving
them, and have reintroduced them on their estates, so
that it is to be hoped the day is yet far distant when the
extermination of this, the largest, strongest, and fiercest
of our British wild beasts, will have to be deplored.

Theravages of the badgeramong gameare generally
confined to the devouring of eggs and the digging out
of rabbits' nests. Their scenting power is remarkable,
as they dig down perpendicularly to a depth of 3 feet
straight into the nest. I was recently interested in
an illustration of their scenting powers by poison being
inserted in a dead hind calf, and placed on an island in
the centre of a deer forest for the purpose of destroying
carrion-crows. The water round the island was deep
and 20 yards across, yet the badger had scented the
carrion, and swam over to its certain doom. This is
the only illustration of badgers swimming that has
come under my observation. They are very destruc-
tive among eggs, and as a consequence their presence
cannot be tolerated in a game-preserve. I have fre-
quently trapped them with eggs as a bait, though
they are practically omnivorous, wheat in harvest-time
being found in their excrements, but they are likewise
attracted by any sort of carrion.

The otter may also be classified as a poacher. It is
generally believed that he preys only upon fish, but

VERMIN 107

instances have come under my observation of his kill-
ing rabbits and grouse, especially the former, which
fact can be corroborated by an examination of the
excrements.

But a much more dreaded enemy of the game-
preserver than either the badger or the otter is the fox,
— though here one must speak with bated breath, fox-
hunting being regarded as the national sport. In hunt-
ing districts the fox lives the life of a licensed freebooter,
feasted on the best, from the farmer's geese and turkeys
and all kinds of winged and ground game down to the
smallest of birds, and protected even by the " ruthless "
gamekeeper. It is vastly otherwise where no fox-
hounds are kept ; yet even there, despite the co-opera-
tion of farmers, gamekeepers, and shepherds, he holds
his own against his numerous enemies, among the
barren waste lands of our Scottish mountains. Not-
withstanding every device employed, the fox is still to
be found in great numbers in the Highlands of Scotland,
many cubs being dug out and sent to hunting districts
every year. When a den is found containing cubs the
usual method employed is to bolt them with terriers and
then shoot them down like rabbits. Frequently, how-
ever, cubs find their way into crevices in the rocks where
they cannot be followed by terriers. Keepers conceal
themselves in different places and wait till the old ones
approach with food for their progeny. As it is the in-
variable habit of the fox to approach from leeward, and
as his scenting powers are so keen, it is difficult to take

io8 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

up a position. The love of foxes for their offspring,
however, is so great that they run great risk to reach
them, and in avoiding one keeper when approaching
the den, they frequently go within range of another,
and are shot. I have, when watching a cairn, known
the vixen steal in unobserved and removethe cubsunder
cloud of night, when she must have passed within a few
yards of where I lay. On one occasion she appeared
on an eminence above me, and seeing her outline dis-
tinctly against the sky, I fired with fatal effect, though
she ran a considerable distance before dropping dead.
The piteous howling of the dog fox all through that
night is still fresh in my mind, and indicates a love of
offspring which might be an example to higher animals.

In such circumstances, and where the nature of the
den or cairn admits, the cubs can be caught in traps.
It is a common method to do this, and as fox cubs are
in many cases a considerable source of income to the
keeper, I would recommend that Cruickshank's patent
rubber-jawed trap be used, in order to prevent the legs
being broken. Any lady can put her hand on the plate
and spring the trap without injury. Of course, the
keepers have to watch all night in the vicinity to take
the cubs out as they are caught.

Trapping is a common method of destroying foxes
in mountainous districts. The usual way is to utilise
a pool of water, and, making a road into the centre of it,
place a bait with the trap skilfully covered on the road.
It is necessary that the pool of water be near a spring,

VERMIN 109

in order that a summer's drought may not interfere with
it. Any carrion will do for a bait, and, so far as my
experience goes, nothing is better than the carcase of a
fox or cat, as Reynard is almost certain to be attracted
by the smell, and so venture on to the treacherous trap.
It may be well to mention here that the traps should
only be set for foxes in places where they can be seen
by the telescope from a distance, so that the keeper
need never go near them except when he sees the trap
has been sprung. The cunning of the fox is proverbial,
and he quickly associates the smell of the keeper with
the trap, and thus suspects danger. When, however,
the scent of man evaporates, he becomes bolder, and
ventures to the bait which attracts him.

A successful way of trapping old foxes in early spring
is, if one is caught, to take out the bladder, bury the
carcase — if possible among peat hags, or in such places
likely to be frequented by foxes, — make a mound like
a large mole-heap for a grave, set a few traps round
the base, and sprinkle the contents of the bladder on it.
So soon as human scent has disappeared, foxes are
certain to pay this mound a visit.

Sometimes a couple of foxhounds are got to scour
the valleys in the early morning in order to take up the
scent and follow Reynard to his mountain fastnesses.
On such occasions the co-operation of a large number
of keepers is secured, and all the principal passes in the
mountains guarded by guns. Many foxes are killed in
this way.

no THE KEEPER'S BOOK

Another animal most destructive to game is the cat.
The wild cat is now so rare that it is almost superfluous
to refer to it as an enemy of game. Still, on one
estate a few years ago about a dozen wild cats were
trapped. As they were sent on to me, I had them stuffed
and exhibited at a meeting of the Field Naturalists'
Society in Edinburgh, when I read a paper on Wild
Cats to the members. This paper found its way into
the newspapers, and endless discussion ensued, when it
was asserted by no mean authority that the genuine
wild cat was long since extinct, having crossed with the
domestic cat, and was not now the original Felis catus
of Scotland. Sir Herbert Maxwell, in his Memories of
the Months, states, however, that he had some specimens
sent from Argyllshire to Dr. Oldfield Thomas, of the
British Museum, who pronounced them indistinguish-
able from the pure Felis catus. As cats have not the
sagacity and cunning of foxes, they are easily trapped,
and quickly fall a victim to the gamekeeper. The same
remark applies to the domestic cat : having no suspicion,
it is easily trapped. The destruction of cats by game-
keepers is a continual source of discord between him and
his neighbours. Once they begin to hunt for game,
their presence cannot be tolerated, and it is desirable
that they be kept down. Great judiciousness, however,
should be exercised by the gamekeeper, and when a
domestic cat is trapped it ought quickly to be put out
of sight and its fate kept secret.

The stoat or ermine weasel is a species of vermin

VERMIN in

that the gamekeeper has good reason to be afraid of.
He is a merciless tyrant, a meaningless murderer, shed-
ding blood from mere wantonness. Both ground and
winged game fall victims to his bloodthirstiness. Even
wood-pigeons are not exempt from his rapacity, as I
have seen one in a pigeon's nest 10 ft. from the ground,
and watched him throw the young birds over the nest
and carry them off. The climbing capacity of the stoat
can scarcely be credited : in a pole-trap 7 or 8 ft. from
the ground, on the moor at Castle Menzies, in Perth-
shire, I witnesseda number of stoats captured. Whether
they had scented the blood of birds that had been
caught, or by what motive they were impelled to climb
the pole, I cannot say, but the fact remains that the
stoats climbed that pole and were secured in the trap
at the top of it.

It is no use a keeper thinking that he has vermin
trapped down on his estate, as the stoat is ubiquitous.
Some years ago I collected five hundred stoats and
weasels to transport to New Zealand, in order to cope
with the rabbit plague. There were no rabbits and no
stoats there till man introduced some rabbits, and with
the most ruinous results. It was therefore found
necessary to introduce the natural enemy of the rabbit,
hence the transportation of stoats and weasels. Before
they had been long in the colony, it was discovered that
stoats had travelled a distance of ninety miles. Their
scenting power enables them to track their prey like a
beagle, and I have seen both rabbits and young hares

ii2 THE KEEPERS BOOK

lie down and squeal through sheer terror before a stoat
was within many yards of them, when in an instant the
stoat would spring on to the back of its victim, and,
with that unerring instinct peculiar to the weasel tribe,
seize it behind the ear, when, I am disposed to think,
in many cases it sinks its tusks into the spinal cord.
Fortunately the stoat is easily trapped, and nothing
makes a better bait than one of their own species, their
cannibalistic tendencies being a gruesome trait in their
character. In the rabbit warren, in the covers, on the
grouse moor, or by the hedgerows, the stoat demands
the vigilance of the keeper. Some years ago a brood
of magpies made their appearance in a strip of planta-
tion, where a couple of broods of young pheasants had
been frequently seen. Drilling holes in the side of three
eggs and inserting a small quantity of strychnine, I had
them placed in the strip late at night, in the hope that
they would be seen by the magpies in the early morning.
On going round, however, the eggs were gone, but there
was no trace of the magpies. After a diligent search, I
saw something white under some spruce branches, and
on lifting them, found the eggs, two of them intact and
one broken, while a large stoat, stiff dead, lay beside
them. How it had removed the three eggs a distance
of 62 yards, I cannot explain.

The weasel, though smaller in size, very much re-
sembles the stoat. It is also very destructive among
young game, and, like the stoat, bloodthirsty in its habits.
Recently, while travelling over the moor of Tullymet,

VERMIN 113

in Perthshire, in company with the keeper, we had our
attention attracted by the peculiar action of a hen
grouse jumping in the air. Approaching the place, we
observed' a weasel looking out of a hole among the
heather. With the aid of our sticks we dug out the
hole, and discovered five young grouse, about a week
old, which had been killed and dragged in.

Another illustration in point. A neighbour's boy
had a pair of rabbits confined in a house, with a brood
of eight young ones nearly half-grown ; and a second
litter, seven in number, about ten days old. Hearing
a noise about seven o'clock one evening in the rabbit-
house, the boy went to ascertain the cause. On opening
the door, a weasel made its exit by a small hole, and
effected its escape. It was soon found that the entire
fifteen young rabbits had been cruelly slaughtered,
the speck of blood behind the ear revealing the spot
where the weasel tribe, with unerring accuracy, seize
their prey and quickly extinguish the lives of their
victims. The noise which attracted attention was
caused by the old pair of rabbits defending themselves
as they best could ; but there can be no doubt that had
attention not been attracted, they would have shared
the same fate as their progeny.

Another illustration in point. While collecting the
stoats and weasels already referred to, I experimented
with them for the purpose of acquiring knowledge at
first-hand as to their bloodthirsty habits. It has been
argued that wild predatory birds and beasts kill only to

ii4 THE KEEPERS BOOK

satisfy the cravings of hunger. Experience and observa-
tion, however, have taught me otherwise, as I have seen
both ground and winged vermin kill for seeming amuse-
ment, or perhaps from innate cruelty. Should a weasel
happen to come across a brood of young game before
they are able to fly, every chick is certain to be ruthlessly
destroyed. While experimenting with the weasels
referred to, I procured a small mesh net-wire cage,
6 ft. long, 2.J ft. broad, and 2^ ft. high. Into a corner
of this I introduced a box large enough to contain a
weasel, — said box having a sliding door over a small
hole. A dozen sparrows were also introduced, and these
kept fluttering about the cage in wild excitement. Look-
ing through a window and at the same time pulling a
string, the sliding door was drawn open. Immediately
the weasel put out his head, while his eyes kept changing
to all the colours of the rainbow. His course of action
was quickly decided on, and out he bounded among his
prey. The dexterity displayed by the little wretch
was amazing, as in a few seconds the twelve sparrows
lay dead in the bottom of the cage. The way in which
he jumped up and caught them in the air proved to my
mind the dangerous nature of this class of vermin in
a game-preserve. I afterwards regretted that I had
not timed the slaughter of the sparrows by my watch,
but I saw enough to convince me that the gamekeeper
who neglects the trapping of weasels is " not worth
his salt."

Recently I observed a weasel with something in

VERMIN 115

his mouth, the brilliant yellow hues of which excited
my curiosity. Giving chase, he soon dropped theobject,
and on picking it up, it turned out to be a frog which
he had killed. This is the only occasion I have known
a weasel to kill a frog.

Most keepers who have had experience in rearing
pheasants are aware of the bloodthirsty habits of the
weasel should it find its way into the rearing-field. As an
invariable rule, however, precautionary measures should
be adopted by having traps set in every likely spot
around the rearing-field. Care must be taken when the
pheasant chicks extend their rambles that small conduits
are made with stones, in which the traps should be placed,
in order to secure immunity from the danger of the
birds getting into them. Weasels are easily trapped,
and nothing keeps them down better than rabbit-
trapping, they being frequently caught in running in
and out of rabbit-holes. Where stoats and weasels
abound, it is most desirable to have a few flat stones
or flags in suitable places, propped up by pieces of stick
set with the old figure-of-four trap. The slightest dis-
turbance fetches the flag down, and the victim is at
once crushed to death.

The hedgehog is another species of vermin destruc-
tive to game. Its depredations are chiefly confined to
nest-harrying. The amount of mischief done in a game-
preserve by hedgehogs is great. Again and again I
have trapped them, using eggs as a bait, and have seen
one in a pheasant's nest devouring the eggs. This was

n6 THE KEEPERS BOOK

on the Ladykirk estate, in Berwickshire. The hen was
sitting by the roadside, where she was seen daily by
passers-by "in the know." On nearing the spot one
evening, my attention was attracted by seeing the
pheasant flying, or rather jumping up, flapping her
wings, and making a chirring noise. On going forward,
I found the eggs scattered in all directions, and some
of them smashed in the scuffle, while a hedgehog was
regaling himself in the nest. Discovering my presence,
he gradually curled himself into a bristly ball ; but,
needless to say, he got short shrift.

The hedgehog has been known to kill very young
hares and rabbits, and even half-grown pheasants. Not
only so, but it has frequently been found entering coops
and killing barn-door hens while acting as foster-mothers
to young pheasants. The hedgehog's staple foods are
snails, slugs, and beetles, but, as already mentioned, it
is fond of flesh and eggs. Many people assert that it
devours fruit, but, so far as my experience goes, — and
I have dissected the stomachs of a large number, — it
does not eat anything of a vegetable nature except small
quantities of grass, which, I presume, are swallowed
when it is grubbing for beetles among the roots.

Another enemy to game is the rat. After the rat is
full-grown it acquires an appetite for flesh, and kills any
young game it may come across, whether it be winged
or four-footed. Rats are becoming a much more formid-
able enemy of the game-preserver than they used to be,
as now they are burrowing more in hedgerows, so that

VERMIN 117

it is difficult for partridges to nest and successfully hatch
their young. The reason for this is obvious : the modern
use of cement has quite baffled them in trying to under-
mine granary and stable floors ; while sewer-pipes have
displaced old-fashioned conduits, so that they no longer
find farm-steadings a congenial home. They therefore
take possession of rabbit-holes, where, in many cases,
they are allowed to harbour and breed without restraint.
Prior to the passing of the Ground Game Act, rabbits
were in most cases killed by the use of traps, with the
result that many rats were secured. Nowadays, rabbits
on a farm are generally let to professional rabbit-
catchers, who kill them in a simpler way, namely, by
snares, with the result that rats get off scot-free. A large
East Lothian farmer who had the shooting on his farm
informed me that he would not allow a snare to be set.
In trapping the rabbits the previous year, the man he
employed caught 1 14 large rats. What the result would
have been had these rats been allowed to remain and
breed, it is not difficult to imagine. No effort should
therefore be spared in order to kill down this species of
vermin.

Game also suffers, though not to a large extent, from
adders. I have seen one kill very young grouse and
black game, and on dissection found that another had
swallowed three nearly fledged larks. As the hand of
every one is against adders, nobody misses a chance
of killing them whenever an opportunity presents
itself.

n8 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

At the head of the list of birds of prey stands the
golden eagle. As already said, this bird has suffered
much persecution on account of its depredations among
lambs, and is now so scarce that many of our largest pro-
prietors are preserving it. It is gratifying to all lovers
of natural history that this should be so. At the same
time, a pair of eagles do incalculable damage to a grouse
moor, and more especially a driving moor. I have fre-
quently seen drives destroyed by an eagle crossing the
moor in aerial circles in the distance. The circumstance
of their flying about drives the grouse from that locality,
as they shrewdly regard the presence of the eagle to be
incompatible with their security.

Some years ago I introduced seventeen mountain
hares, from Dalnaspidal and Castle Menzies moors, in
Perthshire, to Hoy, the most southerly isle of the
Orcadian archipelago. Being very prolific, the hares
soon increased to considerable numbers, when a pair of
eagles made their appearance and nested in the Kame
rock, on the north end of the island. They had long
since deserted Hoy as a nesting-place, but the intro-
duction and increase of hares again attracted them to
this rock-bound island. The hares were quickly deci-
mated, yet the proprietor is most anxious that the eagles
should there find a congenial home.

Whether by unscrupulous egg-collectors who
regularly visit Orkney, or by farmers enraged at the
loss of their lambs, it is difficult to say, but the fact re-
mains that eagles' nests are systematically robbed in

VERMIN 119

Hoy. Recently, however, a pair nested in the per-
pendicular precipice near the crofter township of Rack-
wick, where they hatched their eggs and reared their
young in safety. But it is difficult to preserve eagles
where farmers, shepherds, and egg-collectors have
access to the eyrie. It is therefore only in those wilder-
nesses which are afforested that the species can be pre-
served in this country, as there they are allowed to
harbour and breed without restraint.

It is now some years since a pair of eagles nested
on sheep ground outside the deer forest of Strathconan,
at that time the property of Mr. A. J. Balfour. As a
number of lambs had disappeared during the previous
year, and an eagle had even been seen in the act of
carrying one off, the farmer vowed vengeance upon these
robbers of his flock. After a number of such depreda-
tions, it was at last reluctantly agreed to destroy the
eagles. Being consulted in the matter, I suggested that
if we could manage to rob the nest, the parents could
be spared, seeing it is only when they have to provide
for their progeny that they carry off lambs. The keepers
feared that to rob the nest was impossible, as the eyrie
was in an inaccessible rock. However, taking with us
a cart-rope, we wended our way towards the place.
Getting above the eyrie, I tied one end of the rope
round my waist and prepared to descend. Though very
steep, we all managed to get down to a birch tree, to
which my companions fastened the other end of the rope,
in order partly to relieve them of the strain of my weight.

120 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

I then managed to crawl feet foremost to the edge of
the precipice, where I could see the sticks on the outer
edge of the nest, though to reach it some 10 ft. of
sheer descent intervened. On being let over, I looked
like Mohammed's coffin, suspended between heaven
and earth. The rope now assumed a rotary motion
which for me was anything but pleasant. Reaching the
ledge, I called up to slacken the rope, and proceeded to
examine the place which went some distance backwards,
forming a sort of cavern. Closely cuddled together were
two little downy eaglets, evidently only a day or two
hatched. Exploring the cavern, I saw what was evi-
dently the larder of previous years, as the bleached re-
mains of lambs, red-deer calves, hares, rabbits, grouse,
black game, ducks, etc., lay all around in profusion ;
while a newly killed grouse, neatly plucked and partly
devoured, lay near the nest, doubtless supplying the
rusks of eagle babyhood.

Putting an eaglet in each coat-pocket, I hallooed to
be hauled up. This was by no means a pleasant process,
as I was several times roughly jolted against the rock,
with the result that the little eaglets were both crushed
to death. They may, however, still be seen as stuffed
specimens in the Royal Scottish Museum. I am no
advocate for the destruction of the eagle, but, being
gluttonous birds, they are frequently captured in traps
set for foxes.

Next to the eagle, the buzzard is the largest bird of
prey in this country. It lives a good deal on carrion,

VERMIN 121

and as a consequence is easily trapped. It, however,
takes grouse, as I have found their legs and feet at the
nest. How it seizes them I have never been able to
understand, but imagine it must snatch them off the nest,
as never to my knowledge has a buzzard been seen in
pursuit of grouse on the wing. Judging from the cast-
ings of the young birds at the nest, the buzzard preys
largely upon rabbits, leverets, mice, moles, beetles, and
caterpillars. As mentioned, however, I have seen the
remains of grouse at their eyries. At the same time, the
buzzard is not very destructive to winged game, so that,
with the kite and hen-harrier, which are both now rare,
I do not urge their extermination.

The peregrine falcon is a very difficult bird to deal
with, nesting generally in inaccessible precipices out of
reach of the keeper. As he scorns to be attracted by
any bait unless killed by himself, it is exceedingly diffi-
cult to get rid of this most dreaded enemy of grouse. I
know of places where peregrines breed, and even if one
is shot off her eggs, the male immediately starts in search
of another mate. I have known five hen birds killed
out of the same nest in succession, so mates must be plen-
tiful somewhere. When they are allowed to rear their
young, a heavy toll is taken from the number of grouse
on the surrounding moor. The fastest cock grouse
that ever flew has no more chance before the peregrine
than a rat has before a terrier in an open field. Only
those who have concealed themselves near the eyrie
of this bird, and with a telescope watched the number

122 THE KEEPERS BOOK

of victims brought to the nestlings, have any concep-
tion of the havoc they commit among winged game. I
once sat for hours with a glass and watched what was
carried to the eyrie by the peregrine. In five hours I
saw five grouse brought, and it was interesting to note
how dexterously he transferred them to his mate, which
flew out of the eyrie and met him in mid-air. When
the young are able to use their wings, they fly out and
snatch the prey from their parents in the same manner.
Notwithstanding the depredations among grouse, when
in coveys, by the peregrine when providing for its nest-
lings, it is in the spring months that most damage is
done, as he then breaks up the pairs, it being almost
certain that either the cock or the hen will fall a victim.
The peregrine falcon is by far the noblest and most
dashing of our British birds of prey. He is a bold and
pitiless marauder, and Highland lairds will never know
what rentals their estates can realise so long as this
merciless tyrant among grouse life is allowed to harbour.
Endless discussion has from time to time taken place
in the columns of sporting and other papers between
falconers, naturalists, sportsmen, and keepers, as to how
a falcon strikes his prey. Falconers determinedly adhere
to the theory that it is done by means of the talons. It
is difficult to reconcile this with the fact that some of the
victims have not even a scratch on them, — only a blue
mark on the spine, the result of a severe blow. One
can hardly understand how this blow could be struck
by those terrible talons at the terrific pace of a falcon

VERMIN 123

swoop without the skin being broken. At other times,
when making a quarry, the peregrine cuts the head clean
off his victim, the head and body being sometimes found
yards apart. At other times the head is found hanging
to the body bya bitofskin. Most keepersof my acquaint-
ance who have spent their lives among the mountains
are agreed that the peregrine strikes with his wing.
Falconers, on the other hand, deny this, and assert the
blow is struck with his talons. Their experience, how-
ever, is unfortunately only derived from birds kept in
confinement. 1 1 has been noted by careful observers that
when young peregrines commence to hunt for them-
selves, they clutch their prey ; but, as can easily be
understood, it would be dangerous to clutch and bind
to a heavy bird such as a blackcock or a duck flying at
its utmost speed, and they soon give up clutching.
Personally, I have seen a blackcock, several grouse, a
golden-eye drake, and a mallard struck down by the
peregrine, the victims in every case being dead except
the last mentioned, which was only stunned, and flew
off when approached. Major Morant, who spent ten
years of his life in the wilds of Ardnamurchan, after
describing birds killed in the air by wild hawks, says :
" The grand sudden death of these birds is certainly
very different to the descriptions one reads of the way
tame hawks take herons. After getting above them,
they seem to settle on their backs (binding is, I be-
lieve, the correct term), and they descend to the earth
together, scratching and fighting like a bagful of cats."

124 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

Mr. Knox, in his charming book, Game Birds and
Wild-Fowl, says : " It is because the breast-bone of the
hawk isprotected with such strong pectoral muscles that
the concussion which deprives its victim of life can have
no injurious effect upon the author of the momentum
which causes the injury."

How, then, are peregrines to be got rid of? This
is the question pressing for solution, on a moor where
they take up their abode. Preparatory to nesting, these
birds are sometimes seen flying about the top of a cliff.
I previously recommended a number of cairns to be
built with stones to a height of from 4 to 5 ft., so as to
be out of the way of sheep — these cairns to taper to
the top, and be capped with a turf or divot, in which
a hole could be cut out. When a trap was placed in
this hole and covered as carefully as possible, it was
found that the peregrine was frequently caught. I have
known many peregrines killed in this manner. As these
traps were generally set in high altitudes, exposed to
the sweeping blasts, there was difficulty in keeping them
covered with earth or other suitable material. The
peregrine is a 'cute bird, hence the necessity for careful
covering.

The falcon, as already observed, is the most dash-
ing of our birds of prey, and to see him making a quarry
is something to be remembered. He is, however, a
merciless tyrant, a meaningless murderer, shedding
blood from mere wantonness. I have seen him strike
down a blackcock and continue his flight without taking

VERMIN 125

the trouble to look after his fallen victim. Few have
the slightest idea how destructive he is. As is well
known, grouse indigenous to Britain realise a pound per
brace, and shooting rents pay a large percentage of
local taxes. The peregrine pays neither rent nor taxes,
but it would be interesting to ascertain how many
grouse at a pound per brace one pair annually destroy.
This will never be ascertained, as every grouse killed
between February and June means the destruction of
a covey ; and, as already mentioned, I have seen them,
when catering for their young, bring five grouse to
the eyrie in five hours. In the crofter township of
Rack wick, in the island of Hoy, the peregrine fre-
quently swoops down and carries off domestic chicks
close to the cottages. Would any lover of birds tolerate
this ? Much as this dashing bird of prey may be
admired, his presence must be regretted, though with
such spots as the stupendous cliffs of Hoy to breed in
it will probably baffle human ingenuity to get rid of
them.

The sparrow-hawk, the merlin, and the kestrel are
the only other birds of prey which it is necessary to
refer to here, other species being now regarded as
rarce aves. The two first mentioned are both very
destructive among young game, and it is most essential
that they should be kept down. Sparrow-hawks are
exceptionally destructive, and whenever they make
their appearance in the " warbling grove it is only for
the purpose of depredation, and they are gloomy in-

126 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

truders on the general joy of the landscape." I have
found the remains of over twenty young pheasants at
the nest of a sparrow-hawk, and have frequently seen
him carrying off blackbirds and thrushes, it being
painful to hear the piteous screams of the victims as
they were borne off in the cruel talons of the hawk.
It will thus be seen that the successful rearing of game
is impossible when this bird is allowed to exist. The
vigilance of the keeper is therefore necessary to find
out the nesting-place, and when this is accomplished
the destruction of the pair of birds is a simple matter.
To put the hen bird off the nest, then conceal oneself
within range and shoot her as she returns, is the
general mode of procedure. If this can be done at
night, so much the better, as by being in concealment
before daylight the following morning the cock bird
will make his appearance, generally affording an easy
shot. Many prefer to trap the cock bird on the nest,
which is easily done. On dissecting the last sparrow-
hawk I shot, the crop was found to contain the entire
wing and other parts of a young grouse, while in the
gizzard were the remains of small birds and other
matter partly assimilated.

Though this hawk skims along and seizes birds as
above described, it also lifts its quarry from the ground,
but, with the exception of carrying off young pheasants
in the rearing-field, it is seldom seen in the act. I
have, however, witnessed it strike down a wood-pigeon
after the manner of a falcon. In this instance the

VERMIN 127

pigeon was flying across a field, when the hawk dashed
down with lightning speed on its victim. I saw the
hawk distinctly for a hundred yards before it struck.
It is difficult adequately to describe the mode of attack,
further than to say that the hawk assumed the shape
of a wedge, the wings being taut "as sails filled with
a stiff breeze." In an instant the blow was given, a
cloud of feathers flew from the pigeon, and it fell life-
less to the ground. Running up and hallooing, the
hawk flew off. Picking up the pigeon and plucking
it, not a scratch was visible ; but death was evidently
due to what appeared to be a severe bruise along the
backbone. Those who have noted the sharp claws of
the sparrow-hawk will have difficulty in believing that
the blow is struck with them, otherwise some part of
the skin must necessarily be torn.

The merlin — the smallest British bird of prey — is
a handsome bird. He is, however, a merciless tyrant
among small birds and young game, and his presence
cannot be permitted by the game-preserver. Though
destructive to game, he is more of a small-bird
destroyer, and a pair of them are computed to kill a
thousand birds in a year, including, of course, those
carried to their young. I have never seen a merlin
kill a bird larger than a thrush, but Major Morant
says : " We once put up a hen grouse in the month of
February, which was immediately pursued by a merlin.
On coming over a ridge which had concealed the birds
from our view, the merlin rose from the heather ; and

128 THE KEEPERS BOOK

on going to the spot we picked up the grouse, which
died in our hands. The grouse weighed twenty-four
ounces. The skin was not broken, but she had a
tremendous bruise over the spine." The merlin, as far
as my experience goes, breeds on the ground, gener-
ally in the bank of a gully in the open. It is asserted
that it occasionally breeds in rocks and trees, but
this has never come under my observation.

The kestrel is the most common of our British
hawks. He is a pretty object, for who does not love to
see him hover ? I am unwilling to shoot kestrels, as
in the crop and gizzard of those I have killed I have
found that mice, beetles, and caterpillars were usually
present. It cannot be denied, however, thatwhen cater-
ing for their hungry nestlings, young game are carried
off in large numbers. That distinguished naturalist,
the late Duke of Argyll, instructed his keepers not
to kill kestrels, as they were harmless to game. His
Grace, however, changed his mind on the head-keeper
showing him the remains of many grouse at a kestrel's
nest. When the kestrel makes a practice of visiting
a field where pheasants are being reared, he is even
worse than the sparrow-hawk. The latter comes at
pretty regular intervals, and the keeper can depend
upon him coming. Unless he be fired at, he will
return to the same part of the field, frequently to the
same coop, so that, as a rule, he is easily shot. The
kestrel, however, is quite different in his habits. He
may come twice within an hour, and perhaps not for

VERMIN 129

a day or two. He is much more wary, perches on a
tree and surveys the scene, or hovers to mark his
prey, darts upon it with unerring aim, and is then off
like an arrow. The least movement alarms him, and
he suspects any unusual object. If fired at and missed,
it takes some ingenuity to get him. Fortunately, he
does not take young pheasants after they are about a
fortnight old, in this being unlike the sparrow-hawk,
which takes them till they are as large as he is fit to
carry. Still, I do not advocate the destruction of this
beautiful bird. Let the keeper find the nest, watch
what is brought to it, and use his judgment as to
whetheror not the death warrant should be pronounced.

It is because some naturalists attempt too much
that they are not listened to. What is the good of
talking of ignorant keepers, and of saying that kestrels
do no harm to game, when most of these men have shot
them in the act ?

The raven is the largest of the corvidse, and well
known for its cruel rapacity on sheep-farms. It is not
uncommon to find the eyes of sheep and lambs pecked
out on the hills where these birds are allowed to exist.
They are by no means so scarce as people believe,
being still found in large numbers in the mountainous
districts of Scotland. I have a couple of them as pets,
and dirtier or more cruel ones I never possessed.
Strange to say, some of our County Councils are pro-
tecting ravens, which act savours of ignorance on their
part as to the habits of these birds. The raven nests
9

130 THE KEEPERS BOOK

very early, and with their young broods may be seen
flying about from daylight till dark. Indeed, it is sur-
prising how anything escapes them. I have seen
a brood of ptarmigan, while enjoying themselves on
the mountain tops, suddenly attacked by these sable
butchers. The peculiar cry of the old birds, as they
tried to lure the ravens away, was of no effect. The
young brood squatted out of sight as they best could,
but the keen eyes of the ravens soon discovered them,
and the helpless ptarmigan were duly gobbled up. I
managed to shoot one as they circled near my place of
concealment, and in the gizzard I found a brace of
young ptarmigan which had been swallowed whole.
The same tactics are followed with a covey of grouse,
and it is easy to see that a heavy toll must be taken
off by ravens in those districts where they abound.

The hoodie-crow and the carrion-crow may be
bracketed with the raven as enemies of game. The
destruction to grouse eggs by these birds is incalculable.
Sometimes a hoodie's nest will escape the vigilance of
the keeper. In such a case I have seen the shells of
hundreds of grouse eggs at a spring a short distance
from the nest. It will thus be evident how impossible
it is for game to be reared with carrion-crows in the
district. Young grouse are picked up by these birds,
even after they are half-grown. I have seen a pair of
hoodies endeavouring to get at young grouse which
were pretty well grown, and had got their tail feathers.
So resolute were the savage birds in their purpose, that

VERMIN 131

they never observed me, though I was concealed within
forty yards. The old grouse succeeded in driving the
crows off before they got a young one. The siege
continued for fully twenty minutes, when one of the
crows, in circling round, at last got his eye on me,
and uttered that peculiar call to his mate, when they
both quickly winged their way up the glen. On going
to the spot, I found a lot of feathers lying about, and
certainly but for my presence they would have suc-
ceeded in their merciless work.

Setting the game-preserver aside, the destruction of
these birds is necessary in the interest of the stock-
farmer. Recently, on the farm of Cardon, in Peebles-
shire, shortly before lambing, a blackfaced ewe had
both her eyes pecked out by a hoodie-crow. Fortu-
nately she was discovered alive, and with careful nursing
the animal recovered and gave birth to a lamb, which
she successfully reared. When the shepherd called
for her, it was interesting to see her run and eat
porridge out of a basin. Writing on a subsequent
occasion, the owner of the ewe said : " This spring
a blackfaced ewe hogg had been treated in the same
barbarous way, and had to be destroyed."

The magpie feeds much in the same manner as the
hoodie, though it searches amongst underwood more,
in order to get at the nests of small birds. The nests
of the pheasant and partridge are very frequently dis-
covered by the magpie's sharp, piercing eyes, after
which shells will be found minus the contents. The

132 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

vigilance of the keeper should never relax so long as
his ground is infested by any of the corvidae species.
Though he should manage to shoot the hen bird off
her nest, he must not imagine that he has destroyed
the brood for that year. Another mate will soon be
found, and hatching will go on. I have repeatedly
shot a magpie off her eggs, and in a few days a second
one shared the same fate. There appears to be a
registry for unmarried magpies somewhere, as no
sooner is one shot than another one is secured, and
domestic arrangements go on as before. A pair of
magpies recently nested in a tree close to my home.
When the process of hatching was commenced, I had
the bird disturbed and shot as she flew from the nest.
Early the following morning a number of magpies ap-
peared, and a great deal of hilarious chattering around
the nest indicated to my mind that, in " pyet " language,
a wedding was going on. The hilarity was brought
to a sudden termination by a shot from the centre of
a holly bush, when they quickly dispersed, minus one,
which fell to the ground. This continued in the early
morning for a week, during which no fewer than six
magpies were secured. Though I have all my life
trapped crows and magpies with bits of rabbit and
other flesh, eggs have an irresistible attraction for
these birds.

With regard to owls, much diversity of opinion
exists as to the damage they do to game. Many
naturalists assert that they are perfectly harmless, but,

VERMIN 133

as the result of practical observation, I fearlessly assert
that they are wrong. I would not shoot an owl on any
consideration, and they are in great numbers at my
home, where they breed in holes in the old trees.
(The tawny species is here referred to.) At the same
time, were pheasants or partridges being reared, or a
large head of game expected, owls would not receive
the same generous treatment. In Sir Herbert Max-
well's book already alluded to, the Memories of the
Months, when writing on owls the author dwells at
considerable length on the habits of these birds. Much
as I respect this distinguished writer, I regret that, as
a Scotsman, he does not give us the result of practical
observation in his native country. Instead of this, he
prefers to quote from a German author, Dr. Altum.
He states that this German doctor examined 2 10 pellets
of the tawny owl and 706 pellets of the barn-owl, and
goes on to enumerate the number of mice, amounting
to thousands, found in these pellets. Why such a
recognised authority should go to the Continent, where
birds of the singing class are conspicuous by their
absence, in order to find the pellets of owls, requires
some explanation. Surely this Scottish naturalist
could have found owls and made his observations on
his own extensive estates, instead of having them
" made in Germany." I have all my life picked up the
pellets of owls to examine them, and have found the
remains of all song-birds. One picked up the other
day contained the feet and feathers of a thrush. A

134 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

sentence in the book above quoted would seem to
indicate that the author had been nodding. He says
he does not doubt that if any young chick or pheasant
" comes in the way, the owl will pounce on it and enjoy
it mightily. But," adds Sir Herbert, " young chicks
are not, or ought not to be, abroad in the night, which
is the only time that most kinds of owls can hunt."
It is exceedingly unfortunate that distinguished authors
should record their opinions instead of their observa-
tions. I have no desire to dogmatise on this subject,
but have again and again watched tawny owls at
the nest, as well as taken them from the nest and
placed them in a box, when from a window I could
observe what the parent birds brought to them for
food. They usually commenced to carry food to the
young between three and four in the afternoon. I
therefore exhort all young keepers to do the same —
to watch and carefully note the victims of the owl, and
so explode the theories of mere litterateurs. It will be
no use the young keeper doing this for one season only,
as the abundance or scarcity of mice depends largely
on climatic influences, and when mice are plentiful there
is no doubt that large numbers are devoured by owls.
The results of my observations as to the food of owls
compel me to include the following : young hares,
young rabbits, bats, young pigeons both wild and tame,
ducklings, thrushes, blackbirds, sparrows, and all the
smaller birds, moths and beetles. It is right also to
mention that in some seasons a very large number of

VERMIN 135

mice — both the vole and the long-tailed field-mouse —
are included in the owl's bill of fare,

The tawny owl has also been known to kill full-
grown pheasants. In a large open pheasantry at In-
veraray, Mr. Cameron, the head- keeper to His Grace
the Duke of Argyll, and an observant naturalist, dis-
covered that hen pheasants were being killed and eaten
by some animal, though he could not at first make out
which. He suspected rats, and had traps set to try
to secure the depredator, but without success. One
morning, however, after a fall of snow, he found another
dead pheasant, but the mark of the feathers revealed
the fact that owls had been the murderers. He there-
fore baited a trap with the partly eaten pheasant, and
erected a pole near by, on the top of which he placed a
pole-trap. By seven o'clock that night a tawny owl was
caught in the pole-trap, and in the morning another was
in the baited trap. At the same place a number of ducks
were being hand-reared and enclosed by wire-netting,
to prevent them straying. The ducklings were fed at
six o'clock in the morning, and between nine and ten
in the forenoon ten of them were missing. Two keepers
concealed themselves, and very shortly a hen gave the
alarm which made them look out. So stealthily and
noiselessly did an owl glide in, that he was not seen or
heard till he was in the act of pouncing on a lot of duck-
lings which were clustered together, basking in the sun.
He was so near his quarry that the keeper could not
shoot without killing the ducks, but his sudden move-

136 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

ment frightened the owl off, when he made straight for
a tree near where the other keeper was concealed and
perched above him. N eedless to say, his ravages among
ducklings were avenged. As I recorded in the Scotsman
some time ago, a tawny owl picked up a squirrel on the
public road at midday ; and I have discovered, by placing
weasels and short-eared owls together, that the weasels
were killed and devoured by the owls.

The short-eared owl is a winter visitor, and as it is
only on rare occasions that it breeds in this country and
has a chance of seeing young game, I would plead for
its protection. During the vole plague on the Border
pasture-lands about a dozen years ago, scores were to
be seen nesting in the heather like grouse, and laying
as many as ten and twelve eggs. While studying these
birds in Ettrick Forest, I took a couple of young ones
home in my pocket for the purpose of finding out as
much as possible about their habits. 1 1 has been demon-
strated beyond all doubt that in whatever part of the
world a plague of mice appears, short-eared owls, im-
pelled by a powerful instinct, are sure to follow and de-
vour them. H o w they make the discovery is one of those
mysteries in nature upon which we can only speculate.
Capital was made out of the mice plague by farmers, on
the ground that the destruction of pasture by the mice
was traceable to the destruction of hawks, owls, etc.,
by gamekeepers, in the interests of game-preservation.
Unfortunately for the advocates of this theory, mice
plagues had periodically appeared in different parts of

VERMIN 137

the country centuries before game-preservation was ever
thought of, and, strange to say, they were followed and
devoured by short-eared owls. Perhaps the earliest
record we have of mice plagues is found in i Samuel
vi., where it is stated that the Philistines made golden
images of "the mice that mar the land."

I would also spare the barn owl, for the following
reasons : he is a splendid mouse-destroyer, is now rare,
and is a beautiful object in nature. This bird is common
in most parts of the south country, especially amongst
spruce woods, where it sits screened from observation
during the day. It is easily known by the " horns " or
tufts of feathers on its head. Usually selecting the old
nest of a pigeon or carrion-crow, it deposits its eggs,
generally five in number, and few birds display more
faithfulness and bravery in defence of their nest and
young. After a heavy shower of snow and severe frost
the following night, in the month of March, I have seen
one frozen to the nest, though, lifelike, covering her
eggs.

Long-eared owls are very destructive among
pigeons, and occasionally among young game, but the
sparing of them must be left to the good sense of the
keeper, who should endeavour to satisfy himself as to
how far their destruction would be justified. The same
remark applies to the jay, the rook, and the jackdaw.

Legislation has recently been cutting very queer
antics. A Bill has passed through Parliament, and been
put upon the Statute Book, abolishing the pole-trap, or

138 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

any trap put on a tree or in an elevated position. It
now reads —

(1) From and after the passing of this Act, every
person who on any pole, tree, or cairn of earth or stones,
shall affix, place, or set, any spring trap, gin, or other
similar instrument calculated to inflict bodily injury to
any wild bird coming in contact therewith, and every
person who shall knowingly permit or suffer, or cause
any such trap to be so affixed, placed, or set, shall be
guilty of an offence, and shall be liable on summary
conviction to a penalty not exceeding 405., and for a
second or subsequent offence to a penalty not exceed-
ing £$.

(2) Every offence under this Act may be prosecuted
under the provisions of sect. 5 of the Wild Birds Pro-
tection Act, 1880; and

(3) This Act may be cited as the Wild Birds Pro-
tection Act, 1904, and shall be construed with the Wild
Birds Protection Acts, 1880 to 1902.

This pseudo-humanitarian sentiment has for its
object the prevention of cruelty. No one will deny that
trapping in any shape is cruel, but a modern pole-trap
is more exempt from the charge of cruelty than any
other form of gin or snare. Mr. C. M. Pelham Burn,
the inventor of the humane pole-trap, used it with great
success on his moors in Moray shire. It differs from
the ordinary pole-trap in that the jaws strike high and
catch the bird by the middle, so causing instant death.
The Bill in question has, however, now become law,

VERMIN 139

and the trapping of a sparrow-hawk on her nest, or of
a peregrine on a cairn, is, of course, illegal, so that these
tyrants among bird life, especially the latter, have practi-
cally free scope to butcher our beautiful grouse, which
constitute one of the greatest attractions of our Scottish
Highlands.

It was surprising how this Bill was supported in
both Houses of Parliament by members who possess a
large amount of territory in the Highlands of Scotland.
The many hundreds of thousands of acres which con-
stitute the rugged background of our Scottish scenery,
and which are in many cases owned by members of our
Legislature, might at all events have been regarded as a
sufficient sanctuary for the protection of rare birds and
beasts. Such, however, was not the case, and the poor
lairds who own a few thousand acres of heather must
submit to their grouse, which in many instances con-
stitute their bread and butter, being torn to pieces by
birds of prey. We have here an amount of selfishness
on the part of several of our large Scottish proprietors
for which I, for one, feel humbled and ashamed. Surely
they might have protected birds of prey in their own
forests, and left it to the discretion of their poorer neigh-
bours to do as they pleased. Intoxicated with their
own importance, however, a few pseudo-humanitarian
M.P.'s brought in a Bill which has passed into law
abolishing the pole-trap. Whether they will instruct
their keepers to act in accordance with law, and refrain
from setting traps in " an elevated position," had better

140 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

be left unasked. I n a recent conversation with a keeper
to one of those who voted for the abolition of the pole-
trap, I remarked that he would have to set an example
and refrain from trapping hawks. With a peculiar
twinkle in his eye, he significantly replied, " Imphm."

After a fall of snow the young keeper should be out
at daylight to note his observations of footprints. When
the ground is covered as with a sheet of soft white paper,
impressions of all birds and beasts are easily made upon
its surface, and can then be read as in a book. A study
of the tracks of the various kinds of vermin is most
interesting, and every keeper should be able to dis-
criminate at once what made the impression. Many
traits in the habits of birds and animals, unobserved at
other times, can then be accurately noted. A study
should also be made of the disturbed cries of every
denizen of the wood, as these constitute a valuable guide
in detecting the enemies of game. The intelligent keeper
knows at once if a stray cat, dog, or fox is in the wood.
The warning cackle of a cock pheasant, the screeching
of a jay, the excited piping of blackbirds and other birds,
or the disturbed movements of any living thing, quickly
notify to his practised ear that an enemy is abroad.

I am a game-preserver and a lover of birds. As man
has dominion over the fowls of the air and beasts of the
field, the destroyers of the birds we value most must
be kept in check. As I have tried to show, a pair of
peregrines, sparrow-hawks, or merlins must necessarily
kill a thousand birds annually, and no one can affirm

VERMIN 141

that bird-preservation and hawk-preservation are
synonymous terms.

Properly understood and judiciously carried out,
man's dominion over the beasts of the field and the
fowls of the air is merciful as contrasted with that of
the struggle for existence and the survival of the fittest.
In the interests of the food-supplies of the nation, and
having regard to the pleasure and profit of mankind, it
is the duty of all to preserve birds and animals which
are useful by destroying those that prey upon them.

NOTES

CHAPTER VIII

THE APPRENTICE KEEPER

WHAT we have already said will give the young man
who aspires to be a gamekeeper some idea of thequalities
of character and temperament, and of the knowledge
and skill, that go to make a successful servant. There
are one or two other points we may indicate that may
be of use to the uninitiated at the threshold of his
career.

First, let it be stated that the sooner he starts his
work the easier it will be for him to learn.

It goes without saying that no man deficient in
power of observation or in ordinary intelligence should
ever think of giving his life up to the care and the pur-
suit of game. The 'prentice hand must not only have
a good groundwork of the common rudiments of reading,
writing, and arithmetic, but must be keenly interested in
natural history ; for, unless he is careful in reading up
and noting the haunts, habits, and peculiarities of the
various beasts and birds which people his district, he
will never be a success in the sphere he has selected for
his life's work. And having noted such facts, he will
never attain to any great height of trustworthiness and

i44 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

dependence unless he is able to put facts together in
his mind and make the necessary deductions. How
often do we find a keeper whose brain is well stored with
facts and experiences, yet it is so stored that each item
seems to be pigeon-holed in a separate department in
his brain, and not on speaking terms with each other ?
Let, therefore, the wise apprentice start in life with the
belief that everything is done for a purpose, and that
there is some connecting link between cause and effect.
Let him always be asking in his own mind the question
— why ? At first he may have great difficulty in finding
an answer, and then the question must be repeated aloud
to those who know, whose duty it will be to explain,
and to direct the eyes and the brain of the 'prentice to
observe facts and reasons which have eluded him. Let
him remember this law — that everything is done either
from reason or from experience, and that the rule-of-
thumb gospel is only for the inefficient and incapable
workman. There are very few things in this world that
should be done merely from routine and habit. The
'prentice must therefore get into the practice of using
his eyes, his memory, and his power of reason-
ing. In saying so much, let us recall what was
expressed in the first chapter. On no account
should he pretend to know when he is ignorant, or
pretend to be ignorant when he knows. The man
who is too conceited to admit his ignorance will
never learn anything, and the man who is so good-
natured as to hide his knowledge for the sake of being

THE APPRENTICE KEEPER 145

pleasant, may be a good courtier, but he is a dishonest
servant.

Generally speaking, the first duty of the apprentice
gamekeeper is to be kennel boy. Simple as it may
appear, the keeping of a kennel requires a good deal
of attention and intelligence. It is sad to see how
often a valuable kennel of dogs is subjected to neglect.
Unless the head-keeper has a knowledge and a keen
love of dogs, it is impossible that the kennel boy can
be properly trained. It will add to his store of know-
ledge if he can borrow or acquire books written on the
subject, provided he has sufficient intelligence to dis-
criminate what is practical from what is not. There
are two or three points which may be briefly noted —
(i) The kennels should be kept scrupulously clean,
and periodically disinfected with weak carbolic and
water ; (2) the bed, which should consist of clean straw,
should be shaken up every day and any dust swept
out of the benches. Let the 'prentice keeper note the
appearance of a dog that sleeps in a stable among clean
straw, and he will at once understand the necessity for
cleanliness in the bedding of dogs. There is nothing
a dog seems to revel in more than a roll among clean
straw when it is put into his bed. (3) After the kennel
has been washed, or during very hot sunshine, dogs
should not be allowed to lie upon the pavement, as
their bodies are apt to draw damp from it and rheuma-
tism results. Many dogs are rendered unfit for work

by neglecting this important precaution. (4) The
10

i46 THE KEEPERS BOOK

dogs should get plenty of fresh water, and be fed
regularly.

The 'prentice keeper should always be out with the
head-keeper when he is training his dogs. As to the
management of dogs in the field, the experience must
be gradually acquired, but the perusal of books on dog-
breaking by such authorities as General Hutchison,
Sir Henry Smith, and others, may be useful in giving
him hints. But without observation, common sense,
patience, and perseverance, he will never become a
practical dog-breaker. However pure the breed and
however satisfactory the condition in which dogs may
be kept, perfection in breaking is neither to be secured
nor expected except with very considerable experience
amongst game.

The 'prentice keeper must also, as soon as possible,
be put in contact with ferrets. He must be instructed
as to the cleaning of their sleeping and feeding quarters,
and learn in detail the whole question affecting their
breeding, their feeding, and their working. Next to
these, the management of hill ponies and other horses
used in sport must come under his observation.

Of other matters for early observation mention must
be made of the burning of heather, the improvement of
soil, and questions of draining, fencing, planting. In
all these matters the 'prentice keeper should be com-
pelled to use his hands as well as his brains. His early
days must be partly those of a labourer, a joiner, and
a forester. He will find that having dealt with these

THE APPRENTICE KEEPER 147

matters in a practical way, he has laid a better founda-
tion for his position as keeper than if his knowledge were
only based on observation and theory. Let him have
an accurate knowledge of the use of the spade, the saw,
the hammer, long before he knows the use of a gun.

The third part of his training should be concerned
with the " engines " of sport, with the construction and
use of snares, traps, and nets, and, finally, of guns. He
must not only see the former set by others, but he must
be allowed to set them himself ; great care being taken
that he understands the why and wherefore of his pro-
cedure, and to see that he proceeds, not from theory or
imitation merely, but from his knowledge of the habits
and habitats of game.

While he is learning these branches of his craft, he
will, of course, be out with the guns, acting as beater,
driver, stop, flank, or marker, and thus slowly accumu-
lating valuable knowledge as to the questions of finding
birds and bringing them to the guns.

At this stage the present book, it is hoped, will be
intelligible to him, and he will be well on the road to
become a qualified keeper.

NOTES

CHAPTER IX

THE MOOR

GROUSE — BLACK GAME — PTARMIGAN
By P. JEFFREY MACKIE

IT is as well for the gamekeeper never to lose sight of
the fact that upon his diligence and skill in attending
to the moor depend to a large extent the success of the
shooting season, in as far as it is affected by the amount
and the condition of the stock of birds. So clearly is
this recognised by all sportsmen, that a well-known
authority1 has laid down the following dictum: "I
have always observed that where there are really first-
rate and honest keepers, there is always a pretty good
stock of game. Of course seasons will vary, and any
one used to the moors will know pretty well when to
make the allowance for bad weather, etc., but it is
astonishing how lightly moors will suffer from this cause
or from disease when the keeper and his subordinates
are thoroughly trustworthy. Of course you cannot grow
figs on thistles ; and when you have a bare, grassy, water-
less, or rank heathery moor, it is useless to look for
birds in any amount, but in an average case, with average

1 Mr. A. Stuart Wortley.
149

150 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

conditions, the number and health of the birds will be
affected by the conduct and care of the keeper in
charge."

The main points to be attended to by the keeper in
the management of a moor are —

1. The judicious burning of the heather.

2. The regulation of the water-supply.

3. The elimination of vermin.

4. The suppression of poachers.

5. The feeding of the birds in hard weather.

6. The introduction of new blood.

7. The destruction, in the autumn, of old cocks.

8. Judicious planting round and upon lower parts
of the moor, useful for sheep and birds.

9. Careful and reasonable control of the number
of sheep.

10. The laying down of grit and lime.

11. The removal and burning of all dead matter,
such as dead grouse, dead crows, dead vermin of all
kinds, but particularly the carcases of sheep.

12. The careful bushing of wire fences and the
placing of discs of metal on any telegraph wires that
may be near.

13. The keeping down of bracken by cutting in June.
These points may be considered seriatim : —

i . Judicious Burning of the Heather. — The burning
of the heather depends, of course, upon the conditions of
the weather in different parts of the country in different
seasons, but it may be laid down as a general rule that

THE MOOR 151

the best time for burning is as soon after the legal day,
ist November, as possible. Although I know it is a
disputed point, my experience has been that heather
burns more thoroughly in the autumn than in the spring,
if one can get a spell of dry weather. Though it may
appear green, there seems to be an oil that keeps it
alight, and one can burn against the wind, the flame
eating up everything as it goes. On no account put off
to the last few days, as many keepers do. During this
period advantage should be taken of every dry day.
Heather-burning is controlled in Scotland by an Act
passed in 1773, whereby any person setting fire to heath
or moor between i ith April and ist November is, on
conviction, liable to a penalty of £2 for the first offence,
£$ for the second, and £10 for the third and every
subsequent offence, or, failing payment, imprisonment.
The owner, tenant, or occupier of the said lands shall
be found guilty unless he can prove that the fire origin-
ated on other lands, or was caused neither by his tenants
nor members of his household. An extension of time
until 2Oth April may be obtained by proprietors of wet
or high moorlands which are in their own occupation.
As, however, this is about the date when birds generally
start laying, great care should be exercised, and if there
are any signs of eggs, no more burning should be done;
if the lands are let, proprietors may authorise their
tenants to burn under the terms of this extension.
Notice must be sent before commencing operations to
the sheriff-clerk of the county, along with a fee of is.

152 THE KEEPERS BOOK

Landlords should, in granting leases, stipulate that the
tenant shall only burn the hill or moor jointly with the
proprietor's keeper, both he and the tenant supplying
an equal number of men. Keepers should never be
off the moor in time of heather-burning.

When a moor has been badly neglected and is
covered with acres of thick, old, and rank heather,
burning should be carried out in a more radical fashion
than is necessary on ground that has been carefully
attended to in the past. In the former case, heather
may be burned in long narrow strips of a width of some
25 to 30 yards. These strips should, if possible, be
spread fairly equally over the moor. In exceptional
and very bad cases it may be necessary to burn a very
large tract of old rank heather. But, excluding these
badly neglected cases, the best principle is to burn the
heather in small patches, uniformly, all over the moor.
The reason for this is fairly obvious. The necessary
cover must never be at too great a distance from the
feeding-ground of the young birds, which is generally
young heather of some few years' growth. Justice is
necessary for the younger birds, who are liable to be
evicted from their feeding-ground amongst the young
shoots by the older birds, when the heather has been
burned in long strips. When small patches of heather
are burnt, it is more difficult for the old birds to see
their younger brethren, or cousins or nephews or nieces,
as the case may be, when they are feeding and sunning
themselves. In proceeding to burn the heather, the

THE MOOR 153

keeper must take into consideration the dryness of the
moor and the direction of the wind. He should always
be accompanied by at least two assistants to control the
fire and to prevent it from extending too far.

The keeper must always remember that the danger
lies not in over-burning but in under-burning. Old
heather, whether dry and rank, or, as is usual, very
damp underneath, is a plague to any moor, supplying
healthy food neither for birds nor sheep. It hardly
seems necessary to add that it is also liable to produce
many a curse from the tired sportsman, who is either
patiently following the dogs or is " finding " his own
birds. On no account is the burning to be left to the
absolute discretion of the shepherd.

In regard to heather-burning, it may be added that if
the moor is to be chiefly shot over dogs, the heather may
be allowed to grow a little longer than in a moor used
for driving purposes. I n the former case it is more neces-
sary to preserve good cover than in the latter, and there
is no doubt that the radical heather-burning practised
on a "driving" moor tends to make the birds wilder.1

2. The Regulation of the Water-Supply. — There is
no subject so much neglected by gamekeepers as that
of the efficient water-supply of the moor. On the driest
moor the keeper hesitates to be seen with anything but
a gun, whilst during certain weeks of the year he should

1 A useful heather burner, sold by MacPherson, Inverness, is now on
the market ; it answers admirably, and ensures a great saving of time and
trouble compared to the older methods.

154 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

carry nothing but a spade. In fact, it may be laid down
as a general rule, that, omitting the pairing and nesting
seasons, the spade should be a constant companion of
the diligent and skilful keeper. Springs and streams
need continual clearing to prevent the moor getting
boggy and damp. Streams have to be dammed here
and diverted there, so that an equal distribution of water
may be supplied to the moor, for there is no greater
handicap to the preservation of game than a deficient or
an irregular water-supply. Every keeper should re-
member that this subject is as important as the burning
of heather. It is a question upon which he will have
to utilise as much brain as he possesses, for it is a matter
that requires the careful application of varied methods
to individual cases. Here, for example, is a spring that
is absolutely clogged by undergrowth ; there is one that
is obscured by heather and other overgrowth ; whilst
here again we find a stream that has too free a fall and
that requires judicious damming, so as to supply the
small pools which experience has taught to be necessary
as water-troughs for the birds. It must not be forgotten,
too, that a series of well-cleared and generously flowing
springs adds much to the pleasures of a shooting party,
and often indicates to the sportsman the competency
and efficiency of the keeper.

Not only do the springs require attention and con-
sideration, but the condition of the larger streams must
be carefully inquired into. It may be necessary to
divert the flow of a stream on to a tract of ground that

THE MOOR 155

requires water. It may also be required of the keeper
to get rid of those many deep undermining pools, which
are apt to form in the course of streams, and which are
death-traps for young birds, not to mention sheep.
The undermined parts must be filled in and the sides
of the pool shelved. This should really be done by
the careful shepherd, but he doesn't like the spade any
more than the keeper. The question of the efficient
draining of the moor is of equal importance. No
definite laws can be laid down as to the nature and
extent of the drains. Each case must be judged on
its individual merits. Many keepers are apt in this
matter to proceed upon some stereotyped line, and to
miss the idiosyncrasies of the moors under their control.
Drains should, as a rule, be wide and shallow, and
should be formed with sloping sides. They should
never be too deep.1 On no account must there be
over-draining ; but this is not a danger that need gener-
ally be feared. We have tramped over many a moor
that has been swampy and boggy and besotted, and
upon which we have observed the gradual disappear-
ance of the heather, moors which were destined to
become useless as breeding or holding ground for birds.
All wet holes covered with green vegetation are most
unhealthy both to birds and sheep, and should be
drained. They are common in every moor, but with

1 Deep drains may be " roaded," which is done by making an incline
at right angles to the main drain, at intervals of a hundred yards. The
" roading " is of assistance to the birds in getting to the water.

156 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

a little care their disappearance is only a matter of
time ; their presence denotes a careless keeper.

3. The Elimination of Vermin. — This subject is
dealt with in a special chapter by Mr. Tom Speedy,
than whom no one can speak with greater authority.

4. The Suppression of Poachers. — The laws in
regard to poaching must be carefully remembered.
They are summarised in Chapter V. The greatest care
must be observed at two seasons : first, at the nesting
season and for some time afterwards; and, secondly, just
before the Twelfth, when marauders are apt to be abroad
to procure an early supply of grouse for the market.

It is most essential that the moor be kept quiet and
free from trespassers from I5th April, when the birds
begin to lay, until the time when young birds are able to
fly. The keeper himself should have all his work on the
moor done by the time the birds are laying, and should
not cross it more than necessary, and never with dogs.

5. Feeding of the Birds in Hard Weather. — The
stock of grouse on a moor depends to a great extent
on the supply of food. In addition to plenty of young
heather, grouse are very fond of blaeberries (bil-
berries) ; these should be encouraged to grow, and roots
from woods and rough ground lifted and planted at
intervals on the moor. Women and children should
be prevented gathering the ripe berries on the moor.
The artificial feeding of the birds in hard weather is
a question that is not only considered as unimportant,
but from what experience has taught us, seems a point

THE MOOR 157

that is absolutely neglected. Its necessity is chiefly
found on high ranged moors, the tendency being for
birds to emigrate to the lower reaches during severe
weather. Mr. Stuart Wortley writes on this point :
" It is quite worth while to feed them a little at such
times. It is chiefly when the snow is caked or frozen
over with a very thin coating of ice, and they cannot
scratch through it to get food, that they are most pinched
and may leave the ground, never to come back. I
remember Mr. Walter Stanhope telling me that in the
very hard winter of 1859-60, the grouse on his Dunford
Bridge moor left the grounds in hundreds. Many
were killed in the fields in a half-starved state, and
even one or two in the Barrack Square at Sheffield,
some fifteen miles off. He then sent men up to the
moor with long rakes, and as they raked the snow off,
the grouse followed them close, as gulls will follow the
plough. Your keeper should see to these methods of
helping them to feed in severe weather, and not, as is
too often the case, helplessly gape at the half-starved
packs sitting on walls or scratching at the ground in the
fields below the moorland, until, forced by hunger, they
rise and fly clean away in search of milder conditions."
Of course, the feeding of the birds must not be
carried out unless under dire necessity, for there is a
probability of some uncharitable neighbour considering
the action unsportsmanlike, in so far as it may draw
away the birds from his moor. But there is not much
danger of this misunderstanding taking place. Stocks

158 THE KEEPERS BOOK

of corn judiciously planted in the most desirable places
is the best method of supplying food. It is an ill wind
that blows nobody any good, and at such a time the
keeper may be in a position to judge of the number of
old cocks left on the moor. Their greed will be easily
discernible, and an apparently mean advantage might
be taken to rid the moor of these voracious, ill-mannered,
domineering tyrants. It is a practice recognised by
all experienced poachers, and it is well that keepers
should learn from the skill of law-breakers. There is
much to be learnt from rogues and vagabonds.

6. Introduction of New Blood. — The evil effects of
interbreeding must be remembered, and there is much
to be said in favour of the occasional introduction of
new blood, either by interchange with other owners,
or, in Scotland, by the purchase of Yorkshire grouse
and vice versa. In putting down the new birds, the
long feathers of a wing may be clipped or the outside
long feathers may be soaped, which also keeps the birds
from flying for eight or ten days, unless the weather is
very wet. The most satisfactory method, however, is
to pull two or three of the outside feathers off each
wing. This keeps the birds on the moor for four or
five weeks, till they get accustomed to their surround-
ings, and take up with the other birds. The new birds
when they begin to fly, can generally be noticed in a
pack by being behind and having a more laboured
action in flight. Unless the birds by some method
are kept on the moor, their usual tendency is a hom-

THE MOOR 159

ing one, and they generally make south for the moors
from which they have come. Whether they reach there
or not is another matter, but without some of these
safeguards — the last-mentioned preferably — it is use-
less laying down grouse. There is, however, one very
serious warning that must be repeated here. If birds
are introduced from strange moors, on no account should
they be purchased from suspicious sources. The im-
portant correspondence that took place some time ago
in The Field 'as to the dastardly manner in which certain
moors were depleted of their grouse by netting near the
marches ought to make every true sportsman suspicious
of the dealer in live game. I see no reason why a man
should not rent a moor, and, instead of shooting it in
August or September, leave it quiet till the end of the
season and supply from it shootings which want fresh
blood, and are willing to pay for it. Such sources exist,
and the trade is openly carried on as a business in a
perfectly straightforward manner. My own experience
of several importations of such birds is that a high
percentage arrive safe and in good condition. It is
necessary, however, to stipulate the proportion of sex
when purchasing, and to get two hens to every cock.
When laying the birds out on the various parts of the
moor as far away from the march as possible, it is also
advisable to note carefully the sex, keeping a record
of the same in a book, to see that you have got what
you have paid for. Otherwise you may be stocking a
moor with a lot of old useless cocks, which will do

160 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

more harm than good. This is a point seldom con-
sidered by keepers, who as a rule simply turn the birds
down on the moor, and let them take their chance.

The principle of exchange of eggs between keepers
is one which is most easily carried out, and the least
objectionable, as a fair exchange is no robbery.

Considering the evils of the system and the difficulty
of keeping the imported birds on the ground, it is better
that eggs should be exchanged. One or two placed in
each nest is the most reliable method of laying them
down, though it entails more trouble to the keeper than
placing a larger number in one or two nests ; or they
may be put under domestic hens. The hatching of
grouse eggs under hens is very similar to that of
pheasants. Twelve or thirteen eggs is the best number
to set. A small hen should be chosen and the nest set
in a clod of turf. Twenty-five days is the length of
incubation. The coops should be placed on short
heather, and after hatching they should be moved daily
to prevent the ground getting foul. The same feeding
should be given as to pheasant chicks, with a little varia-
tion, but not too much should be given at one time, so
as to encourage the birds to take the natural feeding
on the ground. They soon begin to take the tender
shoots of heather and other plants, and, after a little
study as to what agrees, and what disagrees with them,
they soon thrive. Notwithstanding the fact that grouse
are absolutely wild birds, they are easily reared, and
are a most interesting study. When old enough to fly

THE MOOR 161

and take care of themselves, they should be at once
moved to different parts of the moor, where they will
soon become acclimatised. If left too long on the
ground where they have been reared, they will continue
packed there, in a semi-domesticated state, and refuse
to move. The sooner they mix with the wild birds
the better. It is absolutely necessary not only in the
rearing of grouse, but of all other young birds, that they
have a fresh supply of clean water several times a day,
and that all dishes and utensils should be absolutely
clean, otherwise they will be subject to contract disease.
No food should be put inside the coops on any account,
as it soon gets contaminated, and deaths follow. (See
Artificial Rearing.) Another method is the exchange
of coveys with moors eight or ten miles off. This
method, however, is not to be recommended, as it sets
a bad example to the countryside, and may lead to
poaching. In July, when the coveys are fairly strong,
the keeper should take a steady pointer (on a hot day
when the birds will lie close), and, having located the
covey, should throw a net over same. Carefully catch
all the birds in the covey, and transport them in a
basket, laying them down on a part of the moor, which,
if it be at all possible, should not be shot over that year.
Birds were transported from Ronachan in Argyllshire
to Jura in this way with success some years ago. To
all these methods, however, the ordinary keeper is
averse on the score of trouble. He prefers to muddle

along, and content himself with the consolation, with-
ii

1 62 THE KEEPERS BOOK

out any jot of evidence, that birds fly from one moor
to another, and thus keep up a change of blood. All
evidence, however, tends to show the opposite — that
birds keep to their own moor, and, if removed, gener-
ally return.

7. The Destruction, in the Aut^lmn, of Old Cocks. —
This, one of the most important of the gamekeeper's
duties, is nowadays so neglected as to be almost an un-
known quantity. It is universally recognised that the
presence of a large number of old cocks is in every way
detrimental to a moor. Old cocks are pugnacious and
quarrelsome, and they seem to take a special delight
in interfering with the domestic arrangements of the
younger birds. They are, in every way, undesirable
tyrants. They drive the younger birds from their
selected nesting-grounds, and thus interfere with breed-
ing. It is on this account that so many authorities
advocate driving as a cure for such ill-fated moors,
although many old-fashioned keepers are averse to driv-
ing. In driving, the old cocks are killed off in much
greater numbers than in shooting over dogs, as it is a
matter of the commonest observation that the old birds
and cocks lead the packs, and it is an established fact
that a driven moor generally gives better breeding
results than a moor that is worked by dogs alone, for
in shooting over dogs the guns are apt to take the
nearest birds, which are generally hens. No better
example of this can be found than the Moy moor, which
is about 1 1,000 acres. When The Mackintosh started

THE MOOR 163

driving in 1871, the bag was 2836 birds, while in 1893
it had risen to 4480, in 1901 to 7127 ; what it was over
dogs before the driving began we are not told. But
whether the moor is driven or dogged, the keeper should
be allowed in the late autumn, after the systematic
shooting days are passed, to take occasional walks over
his ground and endeavour to shoot down as many old
cocks as he is able. How much this precaution is
necessary may be emphasised by an instance which
came under the notice of the present writer in the
month of January 1903. He was one of a party of
guns in an improvised partridge drive in the county
of Ayr, and in one of the beats, being an outside gun,
he was stationed at the end of a field which lay on the
fringe of the moor. He was surprised to find, as the
beaters came towards the guns, that the air seemed
filled with the calls of old cock grouse, and on looking
to the right he could see them rising and going away
every half-minute or so. The climax was reached when
the beaters were entering the last field, when, instead
of partridges, six or eight old cock grouse came over his
gun. He hesitates to prophesy what the condition of
that moor will be in a few years. When the tenant
discussed the point with the keeper, the only reply he
received was the futile one that he had tried for years
to get near the cocks to shoot them, but not for a
moment did the latter realise that their presence was
a reflection upon his capacity as a keeper. This matter
of the killing of old cocks is one of the questions upon

i64 THE KEEPERS BOOK

which the owner of a moor is himself generally ignorant
or careless, but every keeper who has at heart the
prosperity of the shooting under his care should see
that attention is paid to the matter.

Of course it must be understood that this shooting
down of old cocks is no child's play. It requires both
patience and skill. In the majority of cases the birds
must be stalked. The stalker must go on to the moor
alone, his trained dog being well under control, and
behind him. He must proceed in absolute silence, tak-
ing advantage of any cover the moor may possess in
the shape of old dykes and ditches. He will find that
a well-choked barrel is best for his purpose, although
it may even be necessary to use a rifle. He should
never hesitate to kill the birds sitting. Some years
ago on a moor in Strathtay, the present writer
indulged in a series of these stalking expeditions, and
he was very content, after a day's careful working of
the ground, by creeping up burn sides, or crawling
alongside old dykes, or often by coming upon his bird
unexpectedly round a favourable knoll, to return at night
with two or three brace of old cocks. He counted such
a bag as of much more import to the future prosperity
of the moor than if he had returned with a larger bag
of younger birds.

But even despite all these stalking expeditions
there is often left on the moor a large number of these
unwelcome " chronics." Where there is much hilly
ground, they are to be found on the tops in late autumn

THE MOOR 165

and winter, from which fortresses they descend, to the
detriment of their younger brethren in the plains. Even
where driving is not practised as a general rule, it is as
well that one or two drives at least be arranged over
these tops. Such drives are not easy to manage, but
a competent keeper, keeping in view the general law of
driving which refers to the customary flight of birds,
and observing the point at which the old cocks come
nearest to possible "butts," can select his stations
accordingly. This is a matter worthy of the careful
consideration of master and keeper, but it is a matter
generally neglected on a "dogging" moor.

It is even to be recommended that the old cocks
on the tops be regarded as vermin and trapped. If
such trapping were carried out on the very high ground
alone, there would not be much danger of harm coming
to the younger birds.

8. Judicious Planting. — It is advisable, where there
is little cover of the nature of forest growth or shrubbery
near to the moor, that there should be a certain amount
of planting on the lower parts of the ground to act as
cover for the birds in bad weather. This is also
beneficial to the sheep and cattle stock on the moor,
as not only does it serve as shelter, but it gives a more
luxuriant growth of grass and heather. On a wind-
swept moor sheep and cattle never do so well, and
require more food than on one which has good shelter,
so that planting adds considerably to the value of the
property and should be encouraged. •

1 66 THE KEEPERS BOOK

9. Careful and Reasonable Control of the Niimber
of Sheep. — A separate chapter is devoted to the re-
lationships between keepers and farm tenants. It is
only necessary here to emphasise three facts — ( i ) The
one already referred to, that in no case must the heather-
burning be left to the discretion of the sheep farmer ;
(2) that shepherds' dogs must be kept under control in
the breeding season ; and (3) that the keeper should,
if necessary, indicate to his master the palpable fact
that the stock of sheep is too large and interferes with
the feeding material of the grouse. Most moors are
habitually over-stocked by the farmer, which condition
is the chief factor in the high death-rate among sheep,
as well as being highly detrimental, not only to proper
shooting (especially when this is practised over dogs),
but also to the food supply of the stock of game on
the moor. When letting a farm a limit should be put
upon the sheep stock. A clause should be inserted in
the lease exacting a penalty of a rent of one pound per
sheep for every one in excess of the stipulated number.
A count of the sheep should be taken every few years
at a gathering for dipping, in order to see that this
clause is observed. When the adjoining land is well
stocked with sheep, it is altogether desirable that the
moor should be fenced off. Some of the best managed
moors suffer not inconsiderably from the depredations
of sheep from neighbouring lands. The feeding capa-
cities of the moors under consideration may be, and
in the event of there being only a small stock of sheep,

THE MOOR 167

are sure to be, better than those of the adjoining lands,
and on this account the sheep will naturally migrate to
the best grazing-grounds, and will as a result injure
their feeding capacity. The moors will also be con-
stantly disturbed by the shepherds' dogs driving back
the sheep to their legitimate ground. Along the march
of a moor which is not fenced, it is advantageous not
to burn the heather, but to leave it long and rank.
Where such a condition exists, the sheep will not stray
across the march.

On the question of sheep and grouse moors Mr.
Tom Speedy writes : " Let us assume that there is a
good stock of game, and the nesting season all that
can be desired. About the 2oth of May hatching has
commenced, and large broods are by this time follow-
ing the parent birds. This is also the period for
gathering the sheep, with the view of marking the
lambs. Shepherds and their dogs are out betimes to
the marches of their respective hirsels. The process
commences, and the flocks are driven in a homeward
direction. Eventually the shepherds meet and the
sheep are concentrated in an immense flock, sometimes
amounting to thousands, and driven towards the
'fanks.' Those who have witnessed the gathering
of a flock as described, and have seen them driven in
a solid line many hundreds of yards in width across a
heathery hillside, must at times have speculated as to
the probable fate of grouse eggs and newly hatched
chicks. With this end in view, we have devoted many

1 68 THE KEEPERS BOOK

hours, accompanied by a dog, to the trail made by the
flock, and have found both eggs and young game in
large numbers trampled and destroyed. In the second
week of June a similar course of congregating is
adopted, for the purpose of clipping the old stock.
Again, in the beginning of July, gathering is unavoid-
able for clipping the milk ewes." During these re-
peated operations the sheep are generally driven over
the same route to the fanks. We strongly advise
keeping the heather short on the route, so as to
facilitate the progress of the lambs. The shepherds
will always select this way, and thus be a cause of
saving many birds. This is a point the shepherd
should be consulted upon.

Damage is often done by cattle lying down on nests,
and we have known the eggs of both grouse and black
game destroyed in this manner.

10. Improvement of the Feeding-Ground of the
Birds by Introduction of Grit and Lime. — Grit is an
essential and important part of the food of the grouse.
It can be obtained by the birds in usually small
quantities by the sides of streams and on other water-
courses, but it will be found to the advantage of the
moor, and the trouble will be fully repaid by the results,
if a few sacks of lime and pounded shells be taken on
to the moor every spring and deposited in suitable
places.

1 1 . The Removal and Burning of all Dead Matter,
such as dead grouse, dead crows, dead vermin of all

THE MOOR 169

kinds, but particularly the carcases of sheep. — It has
been recognised from the earliest ages on record that
nothing leads more to pestilence than leaving dead
animal matter exposed to the air, and in contact with
the food and water-supply of mankind and other living
creatures. Accordingly, this recognised fact must be
borne in mind by the keeper in dealing with any dead
matter that may be found on the ground under his
control. Dead grouse, dead crows, dead vermin, are
dangerous enough in their power of contaminating the
air, the soil, and more particularly the watercourses,
but dead sheep are infinitely more capable of mischief,
not only to living sheep, but also to game. It will be
found, on careful observation, that a high death-rate of
sheep is due to two causes — ( i ) To overcrowding, and
(2), and more specially, to the presence of, or the effect
of the former presence of, the rotting carcases of sheep.
Some years ago an experiment was made on a certain
moor in Scotland. The carcases of two sheep were
left to rot in the open. After decay had well set in,
two sheep (a two-year-old wether and a ewe) were
temporarily fenced in at different parts of the moor, each
sheep being given two acres of good hill ground. Both
the sheep died within six weeks, and there appears to
be no doubt that death resulted from their having eaten
grass contaminated by the carcases of the dead sheep.
In these latter days, when the destruction of vermin is
carried out with some thoroughness, the ravens and
hoodie-crows, the natural scavengers of the moors, have

170 THE KEEPERS BOOK

not the chance of making a meal off any sheep that may
have died, and so the carcases are left to rot. Not only
are the watercourses contaminated (courses which may
be bringing water to the farms), but in wet districts great
areas of the moor may be fed with decaying matter, to
the detriment of the sheep farm, and, what is more im-
portant for us, to the grouse. The keeper should there-
fore impress upon the farmer the danger that threatens
his stock by any neglect in removing this dead material.
Shepherds as a rule, will laugh at this warning, partly
from ignorance, but chiefly because a belief in it will
give considerable trouble ; but they ought to be made
to meet the wishes of master and keeper on the subject.
Keepers and shepherds should be encouraged to carry
off all dead birds and burn them. The yearly present
to the shepherd will be a reminder. A clause in the
lease should be inserted compelling farmers to bury
every dead sheep not less than 2 ft. under ground,
and care should be taken that the grave be some
distance from a watercourse. A penalty in a lease
is a useful thing to make the tenant observe this
stipulation.

12. The careful Bushing of Wire Fences ', and the
Placing of Metal Discs on any Telegraph Wires that
may be near to the Moor. — The great mortality that often
occurs from birds being caught in their flight by wire
fences or telegraph wires is known to every keeper, and
yet the means to counteract these evils are not consist-
ently carried out. All wire fences that are likely to be

THE MOOR 171

in the line of flight should be " bushed " with heather,
care being taken to see that the bushing is not removed.
We have known instances of its removal by shepherds,
one confessing to having picked up sixty grouse in one
season along a line of several hundred yards. Notice
should also be given to the Post Office authorities if it
be found that birds have been killed by coming in
contact with their telegraph wires. The authorities
named will meet the wishes of the sportsman in having
discs of metal put at intervals along the wires to warn
the birds of their danger. I n driving along a moor road
in Argyllshire this spring, the present writer observed
within half a mile three or four dead grouse and black
game lying in the ditch side in the line of the telegraph
wires, and on examination there could be no doubt as
to the cause of death.

1 3. The keeping down of Bracken. — The increase of
bracken is a serious matter in many moors. The best
way to get rid of this pest is to cut the bracken down
twice yearly with the scythe, when it is about a foot
high, and before it seeds. If this is continued for some
years it will die down, but if left alone it is certain to
spread, and ruin the hill both for sheep and game.
Another suggestion, but one which we have not had
tried, is that of fencing a bracken area with grazing pigs,
as it is said that they eat the roots. It might be worth
while trying this experiment, as the bracken curse is a
serious one. Constant cutting we think weakens the
plant, and it is certainly thinner in districts under our

172 THE KEEPERS BOOK

notice. We have not, however, heard of any effectual
cure.

Artificial Rearing

Excellent reports have been received from various
sources as to the success attending the " hand " rearing
of grouse. Game-hens, and sometimes bantams, have
been used for the purpose, and the coops are placed on
short heather, where a fresh shift can be got every day.
" When the chicks are hatched," says Mr. Speedy,
"they should at first be fed on hard-boiled eggs, with
an admixture of ' Standard ' meal, the makers of which
have a preparation for the rearing of grouse and black
game. Rice and seed may be added later, and maize
— of which they are very fond — when they are large
enough to swallow it. It is desirable to rear them in
places where, besides heather, as much natural food as
possible can be got, such as blackberries, cranberries,
ribwort, bracken, etc. Hand-reared grouse keep well
together during the autumn and winter months, and are
easily known, so that they can be spared by the careful
sportsman. On the approach of spring they spread over
the moor and pair off to propagate their species, thus
disseminating broadcast fresh blood over the district."
No doubt some difficulty will be experienced in procur-
ing the eggs of grouse. One solution of the difficulty
is to obtain them from deer forests, where the removal
of eggs would be regarded more as a benefit than
otherwise.

THE MOOR 173

SHOOTING THE GROUSE

i. Over Dogs

There are several important points to be remem-
bered by the keeper in shooting over dogs. Some of
these are dealt with in the chapter on dogs, others may
be recalled here. As to whether pointers or setters are
preferable on a grouse moor depends largely on the
moor, and how it is watered — setters require much
water — but as a rule pointers are more steady than
setters.

1. "Guns" must be kept in line, and should be
warned not to walk too quickly.

2. Outside beats should be worked first, so as to
drive in birds on to the lower grounds for the after-
noon shooting.

3. The direction of the wind must be continuously
studied, and the beats arranged accordingly.

4. A knowledge of the habits and habitats of the
grouse must be taken into consideration. In the early
morning the birds are found on their natural feeding-
grounds — that is, on heather, three to four years old.
On the approach of the dogs the grouse generally seek
cover in the thicker heather near. After feeding-time
they return to their roosting-ground, where they remain
during the middle hours of the day. In the evening
they return again to their feeding-ground, and after that,
a little before dusk, return again to their roosting-ground.

174 THE KEEPERS BOOK

In very hot weather the birds frequent the sloping sides
of burns and streams, or seek the cover of mixed bracken
and heather, or shelter themselves among the bog-
myrtle. In wet weather the birds ascend to the higher
grounds. In boisterous weather they are generally
found on the sheltered sides of hills.

5. Strict silence should, if possible, be maintained
as the " guns " proceed. There must be no superfluous
speech-making either to men or dogs. The attention
of the guns should be drawn to a point by some simple
ejaculation, such as ''Mark, sir," or "Steady." The
question of arresting the attention of the guns is
important. Nothing is more tantalising to the keen
sportsman than to be told in a casual, indifferent,
languid voice to " Look to your right, sir," and to find
that a bird has gone away some hundred yards before
the sentence is completed. When a bird rises inde-
pendent of a point, the keeper should call out emphati-
cally, "Mark, sir," indicating "right" or "left" or
" behind," as the case may be. Sound carries far on a
moor. Nothing spoils sport so much as a noisy keeper,
or loud talking by the guns. It puts all the birds on the
alert, so that they are off before the dogs come to a
point.

6. The ground should be worked systematically.
Towards evening every piece of ground must be care-
fully searched. The largest bags of the day may be
made when the birds have retired to their roosting-
ground.

THE MOOR 175

7. In addition to what is said in the chapter on
dogs, the following points may be remembered : —

1 i ) Pointers and setters should not be overworked.
To secure this, they should be changed at least every
hour.

(2) It is best to have one man whose duty it is,
primarily, to hold the non-working dogs in leash. This
man should walk some eighty yards behind the guns,
and should act as a marker for the flight of coveys and
for fallen, especially towered birds. Where the number
of men is limited, he receives the picked-up birds, and
after carrying them for a sufficient time to allow them
to cool, he hands them on to the man with the horse
and panniers.

(3) Retrievers must be kept well in leash.

(4) If the scent is bad, the dogs must not be allowed
to range too far, and the ground must be worked very
slowly and carefully. If the point habitually fails, or
if the birds are so wild as not to sit to the point at all,
it is best to withdraw the dogs altogether.

( 5 ) Plenty of time must be allowed for dogs to drink,
but they must be discouraged from habitually taking to
water. Where the ground is destitute of water and the
day is very hot, water should be carried on to the moor
for their benefit, in the panniers.

(6) Dogs should be given some slight refreshment
in the shape of a sandwich at the luncheon hour ; never
give a dog a game or chicken bone.

(7) It is as well, at the beginning of the season at

1 76 THE KEEPERS BOOK

least, to soak the feet of the dogs in strong brine or
other hardening fluid, after the day's work. Plenty of
exercise on the 'roads before the Twelfth hardens
their feet.

(8) When a dog comes to a point, there should not
be any " to-hoing " to it. If it has been properly taught,
it should " hold up " without any words from the keeper ;
an uplifting of the keeper's hand should be sufficient.
If a dog has a habit of drawing too close on the birds,
the keepers should come quietly to its side and hold it
gently back till the guns are ready, directing of course,
the attention of the guns to the point. If the dog be
too slow in drawing on the birds after the guns are ready,
it should be encouraged by patting it on the back or
even by dragging or pushing it on.

2. Driving

The keeper's duties in regard to grouse-driving may
vary from the conducting of several improvised drives
on a moor that is free from butts, and which is chiefly
" dogged " or walked or stalked, to the arrangement of
systematic and elaborate drives. In preparing for the
former little is necessary but a study of the wind, a
knowledge of the general flight of the birds, and the
selection of points which might be used as natural butts,
such as dyke or burn sides, rocks, or the backs of the
crests of braes and hillocks. In dealing with the
business of an elaborate drive, however, he is con-
cerned with a very different business and a campaign

THE MOOR 177

which will require most of his arts and all of his re-
sources. But there are three important pieces of
information, knowledge of which must underlie the
whole of his plan of campaign :

(1) Accurate observation of the He of the land.
The keeper must carry in his mind a veritable
Ordnance Survey map of the moor.

(2) The habits of the birds as far as the question
of their customary flight is concerned.

(3) The principles underlying the forming, the
marching, and the evolutions of the corps of beaters.

These three pieces of knowledge will lead him far
to a successful outcome of the issue before him, which
is how best to get the stock of birds over the guns.
To successfully carry out a series of drives to their most
perfect issue will, however, require not only careful
consideration, but much elaborate manoeuvring, and on
this account he will have to take into his consultation,
more closely than in most of his duties, the man who
should know a great deal about the sport he wishes
to enjoy, viz. his master. Besides this, the keeper,
who desires to learn the art of grouse - driving
thoroughly, must seek information of a more elaborate
nature than this book pretends to supply. If he desires
to bring his results — comparatively of course — to the
perfection attained at Moy Hall, at Bromhead, at
Gannochy, High Force, or Studley, he will buy or
borrow from his master the writings of Lord Granby,

Lord Walsingham, Sir R. Payne Gallwey, Mr. Tom
12

178 THE KEEPERS BOOK

Speedy, Mr. Horace Hutchinson, and Mr. Stuart
Wortley, — more particularly of the last. All these
writers deal with their subject tersely, simply, and
graphically, and any intelligent keeper will rise from
the perusal of these authors with a fairly definite view
to the last and the best word on the subject. As we
have said, we cannot pretend to deal with the matter
on the principles of elaboration so excellently and
vividly carried out by Mr. Stuart Wortley. We can
only absorb the best views and present them with the
modifications of our own experience.

Let us then further deal with the three points
enumerated above : —

(1) Accurate knowledge of the conformation of the
land. From this knowledge the keeper will be able to
lay the plan of his drives, so as to meet efficiency w'ith
economy of time and of space. He will learn what
parts of the moor should be driven first, so as to keep
the birds on the ground for future drives, and how best
to work the moor so that the birds may be driven in
from the outlying beats for the final flush over the guns.
On hilly and rocky grounds he will discover where best
to place the butts so that these different parts may be
effectively worked. With a knowledge of the usual
flights of the birds, added to the general information
he possesses as to the lie of the land, he will be able
to judge as to the best general distribution of the
butts.

(2) It is only by continuous and careful observation

THE MOOR 179

that the keeper will be able to gauge fairly accurately
the general direction taken by the birds in their flight.
On this important information depends the question as
to where the butts should be placed. Where driving
is practised on a moor, the initial drives can only be
regarded as experimental, and even when fairly accurate
knowledge has been obtained, further experience may
require the alteration of the position of the butts. The
fact cannot be unduly emphasised, that no hesitation
must be shown in making new lines of butts, or in shift-
ing old ones. On many moors the butts of primitive
days are treated like eternal monuments, not to be in-
terfered with by any law or experience on earth. Truly
these old stagers may be monuments — of ignorance —
but quite useless for sport.

(3) The principles underlying the formation, pro-
gression, and evolution of the beaters. The art of
driving is not easily learned, and the details are only
perfected by experience. There are keepers who,
despite the fact that birds are continually breaking back
over the drivers or escaping at the flanks, persist with
their primitive fashion of a more or less uncontrolled
line of drivers, who are possessed with only three ideas,
— firstly, to make their way by a bee line to the butts ;
secondly, to keep in line with their neighbours ; and,
thirdly, to yell " Mark " whenever birds arise. Let it
be reiterated for the hundredth time that the formation
of the drivers should never be a straight line, but should
be horseshoe-shaped, and that the length and the dis-

i8o THE KEEPERS BOOK

position of the flanks must vary according to the ground
and the direction of the wind.

Having enumerated the three main points which
must serve as the basis of the keeper's knowledge,
let us glance for a moment at some of the practical
duties which are the natural outcome of this know-
ledge.

The first thing to be considered is the placing and
building of butts. The practical points connected with
this procedure may be enumerated —

(1) The butts must be placed in the general line of
flight of the birds, which as we have shown, is dis-
covered by the keepers, after careful observation from
experimental drives.

(2) Butts should never be placed on the skyline.
There is no exception to this law.

(3) Butts should be so placed that some eighty yards
or so of gently sloping ground stretch in front of the
guns, this ground constituting the main field of action.
The best possible situation is just over a brae or small
hill — the top of the hill being about eighty, and never
more than a hundred, yards from the line of butts. But
never, no never, on the skyline !

(4) Butts should never be placed where experience
has shown that the birds usually fly too high for the
guns — for example, at the bottom of a deep gorge
between hills. Birds only dip their line of flight in
traversing wide, shallow valleys. In passing over a
deep gorge, they maintain their flight at the height of

THE MOOR 181

the first peak crossed, and will be out of range of the
guns at the foot of the gorge.

(5) The distance between the butts should be regu-
lated according to what experience has shown to be the
width of the flight of the birds after concentration by
the drivers and flankers. On level and undulating
ground they should be closer than on rougher and more
hilly ground. The old fashion of having butts at in-
tervals of some eighty to a hundred yards is going out
of vogue. The other extreme is practised by The
Mackintosh at Moy Hall, where an allowance of only
fifteen yards is made between the butts, on the principle
that the concentration of birds is more marked than is
generally believed, and that much good shooting material
is thrown away when the butts are wider apart. This
space is, we think, too little. The only objection made,
to closely placed butts, has been the one of the possible
danger of accident. Where the nature of the ground
necessitates that one butt is out of sight of the proxi-
mate one, a stake, or better, a white stone, should be
placed to indicate the fact of the proximity. This
practice discounts any chance of temporary forgetful-
ness, which has been known to occur to the best of
sportsmen. On rough and hilly ground the spread of
the flight is wider, and here the butts should have a
greater distance between them — a fair distance being
fifty yards.

(6) Butts must be as invisible as possible, and,
except in very rocky and very marshy country, practi-

i82 THE KEEPERS BOOK

cally 2 ft. above the surface of the moor. The old-
fashioned high- walled " batteries " should be in general
discarded. The best way to construct a butt is to dig
a hole in the ground with a diameter of some 5 ft.
at the^bottom and 6 ft. across the top. The "gun,"
in standing in the hole, should be just able to see and
shoot over the slight parapet at the top, which should
be almost flush with the moor, and never more than
2 ft. above its level, the outside being so arranged with
heather turf as to slope gently up to the mouth of the
butt. It may be useful, for the sake of firmness, to line
the inside of the butt with wire-netting, and also the
outside of the slightly elevated portion above the level
of the moor. In the latter case the netting should not
be exposed to view, but may be covered with a layer
of heather-covered earth. About a foot in front of the
butt a drain may be cut, which, if not too conspicuous,
may be left open, or it may be covered carefully, so as
to maintain its capacity as a drain. The draining of
the butt itself is of importance. An opening in the butt
with a drain which leads to a lower level than the floor
of the butt will answer the purpose. The floor of the
butt should be covered with wood. This ensures a
fairly dry base for the shooter and his loader to stand
upon. A board of wood supported on two posts as a
seat at one side of the butt is also advisable. A stake
may be inserted to tether a retriever.

(7) Butts should be well built, well drained, well in
line, and kept in good repair. On no account must a

THE MOOR 183

very prevalent fashion be permitted to continue, of
allowing the butts to take care of themselves, or leaving
their repair to any energetic or practical hands that may
exist among the "guns." How often, oh, how often!
have we found ourselves crouching behind a small turf
dyke, or in badly built, tumbled down, draughty, rakish-
looking butts, flooded with three or four inches of water,
from which we had to go scouring the land for stray
slabs of peat or heather hummocks on which to kneel,
for in no other fashion could we hide from view our
cold and restless bodies. How we have shivered and
groaned in these pits of stupidity and gross carelessness
— built probably in the early seventies, and instead of
growing dignified in their old age, sinking to a miserable
decay under the dissipations of accident and weather.
If we are not to have newly built, newer fashioned butts,
then, in the name of all that is decent, let the keeper or
his men patch up and drain the old ones, and save the
" guns" from acute rheumatism, pneumonia, or shattered
tempers. Let the "guns" at least have a chance of
doing even their second best. 1 1 is on moors that are let
to shooting tenants for short periods that such immoral
neglect of duty chiefly prevails. Often it is the owner
himself that is to blame. He knows he will have little
difficulty in letting his shooting, and if he is not a keen
or unselfish sportsman he is never particularly anxious
for a lengthy lease of his moor. Accordingly in such
cases the duties of a keeper are often allowed to slacken
to an appalling extent, and in the decline of the sense of

184 THE KEEPERS BOOK

duty, the butts suffer first ; — after the butts, the springs
and the drains — everything, in fact, that seems to the
lazy or half-stupid keeper to have little bearing on the
number of birds killed.

(8) It has been suggested by some writers that the
heather should be burnt for some distance round the
butts, so that the birds may be found without difficulty
after the drive. The two great objections to this are —
(a) That the butts would stand out more conspicuously
than when surrounded by heather ; and (6) the birds
are apt to be badly broken up in falling on to hard
ground only protected by burnt heather.

The Drive

There are general principles in regulating the dis-
position and movement of the drivers which may be
enumerated : —

(1) Where men are easily obtainable and it is pro-
posed to carry out the drive in as complete and elaborate
a manner as possible, two companies of drivers should
be employed, one taking up their position at the far end
of the second drive, ready to come forward as soon as
the first drive is over, and the birds are picked up.

(2) In a first-rate drive there should be sixteen
to twenty drivers, the best men being on the flanks.
The centre man of the horseshoe should also be an
experienced man, while, to save expense, the main
curve of the horseshoe may be made up of intelligent
boys.

THE MOOR 185

(3) If the head-keeper goes with the drivers he
should be on that flank which it is necessary to control
more, otherwise he may act as a stop ; both ends of
line of butts should be stopped.

(4) Drivers should walk slowly and silently, keeping
their eyes open to receive directions from the man
under whose control they work. There is no earthly
use in yelling " Mark " when the birds arise — this
only frightens them, and is apt to make them break
back, grouse in flight naturally cling to the hill side.

(5) When birds arise and show a tendency to break
back or to pass over the flanks, the drivers should
quietly stoop so as to keep out of sight for the time,
and then slowly rise again as the birds approach them.
This plan is much better than the common one of
shouting and gesticulating, and the probability is,
if the former plan is observed, that the birds will
sweep round in front of the drivers and go over the
guns.

(6) In driving ground which is high on one flank
and low on the other, the drivers on the lower ground
should be a little more advanced than those on the
higher ground.

(7) When there is a strong wind blowing across the
drive, the downwind flanks should be well advanced.
They thus form a screen to turn the birds. It may also
be advisable to put more men on the downwind arm of
the horseshoe, at the expense of the upwind one. It
is really useless to attempt to drive grouse against a

186 THE KEEPERS BOOK

strong head wind, so that the drives of the day must
be regulated by the direction of the wind, and not by
rule of thumb.

(8) Different coloured flags should be used by the
different members of the drive. For instance, plain
white for the rank and file, red for the centre or
head man, and red and white for the flank men and
points.

(9) Drivers should come to a halt about fifty yards
in front of the butts, and stay there till all the birds are
picked up by the keepers and their dogs. When birds
are flying towards the butts, the head-keeper should
blow his whistle to give warning to the guns.

PICKING UP AND PACKING OF BIRDS

(1) Where dead birds can be seen they may be
picked up by hand before the retriever is loosened, but
in doing so, care should be taken not to spoil the scent
for the dogs by tramping all over the ground. On no
account should beaters be allowed to pick up birds, for
this reason — this should be left to the keeper, with his
well-trained retriever or spaniel. The man who owns
a well-trained spaniel or retriever should never go to a
grouse drive without his dog.

(2) Birds should never be put in panniers and carts
at once, but should be allowed to cool.

(3) The packing into the panniers or carts should
be carefully and systematically carried out, the birds

THE MOOR 187

being put in singly, and so arranged as to form a
compact mass.

HILL PONIES

In selecting ponies for hill work, whether for carry-
ing panniers, deer, or men, the truism must be stated
that the main point to observe is to select ponies that
can climb. They should never be Lowland born or
bred, and their chief qualifications should be strength
and sureness of foot. They should possess these quali-
fications along with that of being good climbers, at the
expense of speed, paces, and style, which should never
be looked for. They should not be too small — size
and substance is what is needed. The shoulders should
have a moderate slope — this ensures sureness of foot —
and breadth of loin and substance of bone should be
demanded. In working the ponies they should be
allowed as much as possible to have their own way, and
to pick out their own stepping-ground. They should
be allowed to go slowly. How often have we seen a
pony fall, simply because the rider or the leader would
persist in jerking its head backwards.

BLACK GAME

There are a few facts as to black game which may
be recalled for the benefit of the keeper " who does not
know."

With regard to the stock, there are certain conditions
which are conducive to a good supply of birds.

1 88 THE KEEPERS BOOK

(a) Delay in killing till the birds are in full plumage
and capable of good flight, i.e. black game, except old
cocks, should never be shot till the middle or beginning
of September.

(d) Absence of vermin and plenty of rough ground.

(c) Judicious burning of heather and furze on the
fringe of the moor.

(d) The neighbourhood of corn and turnip crop to
the black-game ground.

(e) Killing of old cocks, as discussed when we were
dealing with grouse.

(/) A limitation of number of grey hens to be
killed.

With regard to the time for killing black game, we
think the keeper is perfectly justified in indicating to
the ignorant or the very young sportsman the fact that
it is a recognised rule, despite the present unsatisfactory
state of the official close time, to leave young black game
entirely alone in August and the beginning of September.
If a young blackcock gets up in August and trundles
slowly away in front of the guns, the keeper should call
out, " Ware blackcock," or simply, " Blackcock, sir."
In the latter case, the tone of the voice indicates the fact
that of course the guns understand that the bird is not
to be killed.

As to the killing of old cocks, the keeper will recall
what we have said about grouse. The old blackcock
is equally as tyrannical and disturbing as the old cock
grouse. No chance should be missed of killing the old

THE MOOR 189

cock, as black game are polygamous ; you cannot be
too severe on him. In attempting to rid the ground of
these pests, the keeper has not the same difficulty, how-
ever, as in the case of the grouse. Black game are very
conservative in their habitats, and generally select a
particular spot for their fighting matches and carousals.
The keeper will soon discover some place on the fringe
of the moor where the birds congregate in the early
morning. It will probably be an open space in some
old wood, and, by getting up early and planting himself
in cover, he will have an excellent opportunity of
" potting " the old cocks. When the blackcock is to be
stalked as it sits on the top of a dyke on the moor, it is
to be recommended that, if the keeper is accompanying
one of the guns for the purpose, he should take a
different route from the latter, keeping far away from
him and yet in sight of the birds, the gun in the mean-
time creeping up unobserved from an opposite direction.
This practice distracts the attention of the victim from
the main danger.

Black Game Driving

In driving black game there are several very im-
portant points to be observed —

1 i ) The drivers must be absolutely silent. This is
even more important than in driving grouse.

(2) Like partridges, black game cannot be forced to
fly contrary to their customary line of flight. On this
account they are difficult to turn, and flank men are not

i go THE KEEPERS BOOK

of so much value as in driving grouse. However, the
rule we have indicated, when speaking of grouse-driv-
ing, as to the drivers first stooping and then gradually
rising as the birds come near, sometimes meets with
success in turning the birds.

(3) The line of flight of black game is very constant.
On this account, in driving a wood, the keeper is soon
able to discover at what parts of the cover the birds
usually pass out, and should place the guns accordingly.
It is useless, as a rule, to line the guns at equal distances,
as in grouse-driving. They should be fairly close to-
gether at the places indicated by the keeper.

(4) Black game will not drive well under the follow-
ing conditions : —

(a) When all the corn is not cut.

(fr) When the day is wild and blustering.

The best day on which to shoot black game is a dull,
misty day when there is little wind. The mist hides
the " guns " from the fine, long-ranged sight of the birds.
High wind is apt to scatter the packs.

(5) The keeper should not hesitate, unless he is
dealing with experienced black-game shooters, to re-
mind the "guns" of two or three very important
practices in black-game driving : —

(a) On no account should a hare, breaking away at
the opening of the drive, be fired at, nor should the
first birds, which generally come singly and are in all
likelihood grey hens, be shot. This is an unvarying
rule. To fire at these "scouts " is simply to set the

THE MOOR 191

whole army flying away in all directions, while, if these
single birds are left alone, the rest of the pack will sail
grandly over the guns.

(b) "Guns" must keep absolutely silent, well
hidden, and as immovable as is compatible with
nature.

(c) Of course the keeper must warn any very igno-
rant " gun " that grey hens must not be fired at, unless
the stock is so great that it is desirable to reduce it.

Poaching Black Game

In addition to the general principles recognised for
the suppression of poachers, long stakes, with a nail
driven into the top at right angles, may be planted at
intervals over the black-game ground, when poaching
by netting is common. This practice is also valuable
for the protection of grouse, but owing to the general
limitations of the black-game ground, it is easier to carry
out than in the case of grouse.

PTARMIGAN

Every gamekeeper should be aware of the fact that
ptarmigan are like woodcock in one respect. They
always lie as to the wind. They are therefore to be
found on the lee side of the hills. This fact is to be
carefully recalled when they are being looked for. If,
unfortunately, the march stretches along the summit of
a hill and the wind is blowing from this side, the birds

192 THE KEEPERS BOOK

will be on the other side of the march, and there is not
much use undertaking a mountaineering expedition to
find them, unless the wise course is followed of arrang-
ing with the neighbouring owner or tenant to shoot
ptarmigan on the same day. By so doing, the recog-
nised method of killing ptarmigan will be followed, that
is, by shooting in two parties. When the "tops" are
on the keeper's own ground, the two-party principle
enables him to get over the great difficulty of ptarmigan-
shooting, which lies in the fact that the coveys fly from
one " top " to another. If there is a single party, the
guns will have only one chance at the broods, unless
they descend again to the "plains " and make another
ascent to the other "top," which procedure is apt to
become monotonous, even to the most vigorous sports-
man.

It goes without saying, that there is no use taking
out the guns on a misty day. In all forms of sport
where there is thick mist, there should be no firing, and
when on a fine day, the guns being on the " tops," mist
begins to collect, shooting should cease. On this
account it is to be recommended that in ptarmigan-
shooting the keeper and all the guns should each possess
a pocket-compass. This, together with the fact that
in all cases of difficulty one should follow the course of
streams, will do much to counteract the disagreeable
probability of being lost in the mist.

It may be necessary for the keeper to remind the
young sportsman of the possible danger of not having

THE MOOR 193

his gun at " safe " while in the act of climbing or in
groping his way over boulders and rocks.

The keeper should neither take with him pointers
nor setters. They are inclined to be much put out by
the presence of blue hares ; but an old retriever is of
the greatest possible value.

NOTES

CHAPTER X

THE PARTRIDGE

OF the many services rendered to sport by Mr. Stuart
Wortley, none can be valued more highly than the con-
tinued emphasis he has laid upon the fact of how
neglectful has been the general attitude of the owner,
tenant, and keeper in regard to the rearing and the
preservation of partridges. Mr. Wortley, in discussing
this important question, finds the explanation of the fact
in the recognition of the pheasant as having the primary,
often the only, claim to attention. Where pheasants are
reared to any great extent, this is notoriously true, but
there are other conditions, especially in Scotland, which
have acted to the detriment of the breeding and protec-
tion of partridges. In the Highlands of Scotland the
partridge has become almost a negligible quantity, not
from any choice on the part of landlord or sporting
tenant, but from the fact that the stock is so compara-
tively small that it is almost disregarded. The wet
climate in the Highlands and West of Scotland, it must
be admitted, is against the partridge doing well. The
soil is too barren, and in many cases too heavy. A

warm, sunny exposure, with a small rainfall and light

195

196 THE KEEPERS BOOK

soil is ideal for partridges, so that for a first-class par-
tridge shoot we must look to England or the fertile
parts of south-east Scotland. They require arable
land, which is fast going out of cultivation, and a certain
amount of rough waste ground on the fringes of the
arable. A new danger seems to have developed, which
some say accounts for the scarcity of partridges in dis-
tricts where they were once plentiful, that is, the higher
cultivation of land, and the great increase in the use of
artificial manures. As against the increased fertility of
the land, partridges as a sport must take their chance
and come second. In many districts in England it has
been noticed that dead birds have been found to con-
tain arsenic in their crops. How do we account for this ?
It looks as if the only source can be the artificial manures
which are used for keeping up the fertility of the land.
If this be the case, there is no remedy. Another con-
tributory cause, in some cases, is the number of rats on
the estate, which vermin are undoubtedly severe on
eggs. May it not be that the destruction of hawks,
stoats, and weasels by the keeper, with the best inten-
tions, has allowed the balance of nature to increase in
favour of the rats, which are usually kept down by
those other vermin. One other serious factor in this
connection is the trapping of rabbits in the open by
farmers in summer around the young corn. A large
number of pheasants and partridges are undoubtedly
killed in this way, so that, the eggs and young being left
without a protector, a large shortage in stock is bound

THE PARTRIDGE 197

to take place. It is illegal to set traps in the open, and
the law should be firmly set in force without any fear
of incurring the displeasure of the farmer. He is in the
wrong, and to overlook this is buying his goodwill at too
high a price. The more you give in, the more a farmer
will take advantage of you, but if he is a decent man
at all, and you have his goodwill, he will at once, on his
attention being drawn to the matter, stop the practice.
If he does not, such goodwill as he has to give is not
worth having, and you had better have all the rabbits
killed down in winter. In this instance it is not the
pheasant that serves as the unwilling cause of offence,
but the grouse. As in the case of large covert shoots
in the south, so in the case of moors in the north, the
keeper has been (metaphorically speaking) in the past,
and seems likely to be in the future, a snob. The
pheasant and the grouse he regards as high in the
social world of the bird, and worthy of pampering and
adulation, whilst the poor vagabond partridge is left
more or less to grub for himself.

The blame for this condition of affairs, of course,
reflects to a marked degree on the owners or tenants
themselves, but does not entirely release the keepers
from their responsibilities. Many sportsmen only stay
at their shooting boxes as long as they are able to get
sport on the moors, and return south practically in-
different to the fact of the possibilities of good bags of
partridges from the cultivated land that stretches down
the strath in front of their very lodge doors. And even

198 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

when this indifference is not so marked, there can be
no doubt that the general run of sportsmen would pre-
fer to bag their ten or eleven or even their four or five
brace of grouse in the late season, with the joy of a
tramp on the hill, than spend a weary day, dragging
their muddy boots through wet turnips and potatoes,
with the prospect of a larger bag of the autumn bird.
This is but one side of the question. There is a more
important reverse. Many sportsmen in the Highlands
of Scotland are indifferent to partridge-shooting, not
because of the more absorbing claims of the moor, but
because of the general poorness of the partridge stock ;
and such being the case, and granting, of course, the
necessary ground conditions, the blame is to be laid
largely at the door of the gamekeeper. Our present
readers, with their sporting imaginations stimulated by
a fine picture of well-cultivated agricultural land, stretch-
ing from the edge of the moor, in rich variegated tints,
down to the edge of the river, wending its rapid way
through the spirals of the strath, and interrogating the
head-keeper as to the prospects of partridges, have had
their imaginations often curtailed by being told in an
indifferent tone that there may be a few coveys, but
nothing to speak of. And such information has been
conveyed to them as if the fact finally settled the re-
sponsibility of the keeper. Let it be our duty to empha-
sise the fact that it has only determined the existence
of wilful neglect of opportunity on the part of the sports-
man, and the absence of a due sense of responsibility

THE PARTRIDGE 199

on the part of the keeper. If there be good partridge
ground, the partridges ought to be there. If there be
none, or if there be only a poor stock, it indicates an
indifferent sportsman or a casual keeper.

Of course these remarks are made with a full recogni-
tion of the fact that the keeper's department may be
undermanned. But that fact is to be taken into account
in all we have to say as to the keeper's duties. But
we intentionally leave out of account those rare cases
where one keeper has perhaps in his charge a fairly
extensive moor, a rabbit warren, and several stretches
of good cover, and whose time is fully taken up on
these preserves, trapping, draining, and watching. Such
conditions, being rare, need not trouble us. It cannot
be said, as a rule, that keepers are overworked. Their
duties and responsibilities are great, and there is no
more popular fallacy than to imagine that their occupa-
tion is but a very pleasant form of an idle country life.
But the care and protection of a stock of partridges,
although requiring considerable time, patience, and skill,
need not prove irksome to any keeper who is at all
interested in his profession.

In the majority of cases the partridge ground is at
his very door, and more easy of control than the moor,
which may stretch miles beyond his immediate circum-
ference. And although such be the case, it is a
notorious fact that on many shootings the information
one can obtain as to the number, position, and condition
of partridge nests and eggs is lamentably poor, and a

200 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

desire for specific information is dismissed by a few in-
consequent and often misleading general statements.
And it is curious to observe how glibly the indifferent
keeper will, season after season, talk of the drowning
of the young birds and of the smallness of the coveys,
apparently indifferent to the fact of the ways and means
to counteract these conditions. In the case of High-
land shootings, the keeper, perhaps, is not so much to
blame as the men whose care is chiefly with a semi-wild
bird of the hand-reared pheasant type. The imagina-
tion of the former may be stunted by the fact that his
work is chiefly with birds which, to a marked extent, look
after themselves, and which receive but slight artificial
assistance compared with the hand-reared pheasant.
But although this be a fact, it ought not to serve as an
excuse, and it will be the first duty of the sportsman
who realises the possibilities that he may have missed,
to remind the keeper of the artificial processes that are
necessary for the proper rearing and care of a good
partridge stock.

Having said so much in regard to the partridge
ground attached to shootings where the moor is the
first consideration, we return to the conditions to which
Mr. Stuart Wortley has specially directed his remarks.
" Most English manors," says this great authority, ''have
not anything like the stock of partridges which they
ought to produce. This I attribute to three causes.
First, the keeper's work is not, as far as partridges are
concerned, well understood or properly carried out.

THE PARTRIDGE 201

Second, which is a result in part of the first, there is a
good deal more egg-stealing and poaching than there
should be. Third, the stock, being low, is too much re-
duced by hard shooting." In dwelling on these facts
this writer selects a particular shooting, " The Grange,"
to illustrate how the partridge stock may be improved,
and dwells at length on some of the practices observed.
" The high average maintained at The Grange is due
to a combination of ... conditions (favourable) and
the system on which the keeper's work is conducted ;
and it is here that I think a lesson may be learned by
other owners and keepers. First and foremost, the latter
are taught to treat partridges, and not pheasants, as the
first consideration. Partridges require a better and
more watchful keeper than pheasants. The old-fashioned
system of leaving partridges to take care of themselves
in the nesting season, while your keepers are devoting
themselves exclusively to the pheasantry and the coops,
must be abandoned. Everything must be done to
watch and thwart egg-stealers and poachers. To arrive
at this, it follows that the whereabouts of every, or nearly
every, nest must be known, and these must be watched and
visited practically every day."

The rule which we have printed in italics must
serve as the basis of the keeper's conduct. In no
other way will he be able to attain to satisfactory
results. To those who have become accustomed to
the go-as-you-please philosophy, this may seem at first
an irksome addition to their day's work, but we are

202 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

concerned, not with the likes and dislikes of keepers,
but with their duties.

As in dealing with the question of moors, we may
categorically enumerate the various points that must be
regarded by the keeper for the proper preservation and
improvement of his general stock.

(1) The supply or improvement of cover.

(2) and (3) The careful watching and protection of

eggs and nests and artificial rearing.

(4) The improvement of the stock by the intro-

duction of eggs from other districts, and the
importation of foreign partridges.

(5) The destruction of vermin.

(6) The suppression or the frustration of poachers

and poaching.

(7) A tactful understanding and sympathy with the

farmers.

(8) The killing of old cocks.

i. Cover

Many estates are fortunate enough to possess so
much well-distributed cover as to call for little innova-
tion of a radical nature. Some are ideal in this respect,
the various fields of potatoes and corn being flanked and
intersected by rough ground of broom ("whin") and
gorse, with here and there additional growths of birch,
juniper, and other classes of trees. How notoriously
this kind of cover is used by partridges can be proved
by the fact that on the first of September in Scotland,

THE PARTRIDGE 203

long before the crops are cut, small bags of partridges
are to be obtained by simply walking through these
patches of cover. As a rule these strips of " rough
ground " are considerably elevated above the cultivated
land, and in preparing artificial cover based on the
principle of their construction, the question of elevation
must not be lost sight of. In proceeding to lay out this
nesting cover, common sense must be used in distri-
buting the patches of ground equally about the
estate, avoiding, if possible, too close proximity to the
pheasant coverts, which must naturally be kept as quiet
as possible till the day of the first shoot. In preparing
these strips of cover, or banks, it is as well that consider-
able care be taken with regard to judicious sowing. If
the banks be sown with young broom and left unwired,
there is a likelihood of the young growths being eaten
by rabbits, hares, and foxes ; but if the wiring be too
high, there is a danger of the hen partridge not being
able to get her young brood on to the slopes of the banks
on those occasions when stormy wet weather urges her
to seek protection for her young. This remark only
applies, of course, to the very early days in the life of
the covey ; but it is important, nevertheless, for it is at
this very stage that young birds are apt to be washed
away by driving storms, or to be drowned in ruts and
furrows. With regard to the depredations of foxes, Mr.
Wortley rightly points out that "they will not be
entirely kept out by wire-netting after it has been up a
year or two, but they will always be loath to trust them-

204 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

selves much inside it, and any little alteration, such as an
extra strand of wire along the top, will make them sus-
picious of a trap, and in all likelihood keep them out
altogether."

It seems necessary to point out here, what seems to
have been omitted by most authorities, that the cover
must no more be allowed to take care of itself than
heather on a moor. It will require from time to time
judicious pruning, supplanting, and replanting, so as to
maintain its value as a feeding and rearing-ground. It
is not necessary to add, after the observations we have
made, that, in this consideration at least, rabbits and
hares must come under the category of vermin and be
treated accordingly.

The question of expense will naturally arise in deal-
ing with this matter of sufficient cover for partridges.
In many cases the owner will be satisfied with a con-
siderable improvement of the existing cover, in fewer
cases he will be prepared to meet the outlay necessary
for the planting of new ground, and where expense is
no object he may advocate the laying out of sanctuaries
or preserves. These may be as elaborate as the covers
at Sandringham, or may simply consist of stretches of
corn or rye plantation preserved in the midst of other
cover for the special use of the partridge.

2 and 3. The Careful Watching of Nests and Eggs
and Artificial Rearing

We have already laid down the ideal principle for

THE PARTRIDGE 205

the protection of nests and eggs from the depredations
of poaching. Any slacker method can only lead to
disastrous results in so far as the size of the coveys
is concerned. Egg-stealing is a very profitable busi-
ness, and is conducted with ease, owing either to the
carelessness or the dishonesty of the keeper or his
underlings. This carelessness is a form of neglect of
duty that should bring any self-respecting keeper to his
senses, and if not, should bring him to the rightabout.
Of course, as in other matters, the criminal neglect
of duty by the keeper is merely a reflex of the casual
indifference of the master — here, again, we touch on a
matter of explanation, but not on a matter of excuse.
In the matter of the depredation of nests and eggs the
keeper has to deal with six types of enemies, each of
which must be watched closely and frustrated. These
are — ( i ) vermin — including foxes, (2) farmers and farm
labourers, (3) casual poachers from neighbouring vil-
lages, (4) professional poachers, (5) stray dogs, and (6)
mowing machines. Each of these enemies is dealt
with in individual chapters treating of the specific sub-
ject concerned. As for the general habits of a great
number of keepers, all that is done to prevent the steal-
ing of eggs and the poaching of young coveys seems
to be an occasional sleepy stroll slantways across a field
that may contain six or seven nests or young broods,
and the occasional slipshod " bushing " in the grass
fields. Every corner of every field should be gone
over carefully at the beginning of the season, until a

206 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

thorough knowledge of the whereabouts of nests and
the number of eggs be obtained, and then the rule
followed as to watching, which we have printed in italics.
Any diminution of the number of eggs must be care-
fully noted and the cause traced to its source.

With regard to the protection of partridges and
their nests, it must be observed, in addition to what is
said in the chapter on vermin, that the destruction of
the latter is naturally easier in cover which is not too
redundant. Accordingly, the " rough ground," " the
whins," the banks, and the fences must be loosely
planted. If already thick, they must be thinned out.
Trees and shrubs must not be too closely planted
together. In other words, shelter, or, as it is termed,
' ' cover, " must be sparse and well distributed, full of young
vegetation, and well protected from vermin. Where
nests are found in the open, it is recommended that " a
single strand of wire, about ten inches above the ground,
be stretched from stout pegs." This will prevent any
fox from crossing the field. Bushing must be carefully
attended to, the bushes being liberally distributed and
well planted, and careful observation made of any
tampering with the position in which they were first
placed. The attention of the factor should be called
to see that the farmers keep their ditches cleaned, as
otherwise, in times of flood or spate, water does not get
away, and is apt to flood out the nests. Keepers should
prevent the birds from nesting in ditches so foul with
undergrowth that water cannot get free flow.

THE PARTRIDGE 207

After any rainstorm, or during it, if necessary, the
keepers should be out and making observations as to
the safety of their nests and small coveys. Some arti-
ficial help is often necessary to protect the eggs from
destruction, and a wise keeper will often discern a chance
to interfere for the benefit of his broods, although it
must be remembered that human interference is soon
detected by ground vermin, especially stoats, and the
future safety of the eggs may be in peril. " If a sad
mishap," says Mr. Macpherson, "has befallen a clutch
of eggs, and some of the number have actually come
to grief, the misfortune can best be redeemed by such
eggs as happen to have escaped destruction being
placed under the charge of a domestic fowl. When
the little fellows emerge into the world, they soon learn
to take care of themselves, but the pupae of ants are
requisite for their successful rearing." For it is notori-
ous that the hen bird hesitates to return to her duties
if her nest has been partially destroyed or interfered
with. That distinguished observer, "A Son of the
Marshes," indicates in the Pall Mall Magazine * the
methods of procuring the pupae. " Two very different
kinds of ant-hills supply the eggs or ant-pupae to the
young of game birds, and of partridges in particular.
First, there are the common emmet-heaps or ant-hills,
which are scattered all over the land ; go where you will,
you will find them. These the birds scratch and break
up, picking out the eggs as they fall from the light

1 Pall Mall Magazine ', 1893, p. 737.

208 THE KEEPERS BOOK

soil of the heaps ; the partridges work them easily. But
the ant-eggs proper — I am writing now from the game-
preserving point of view — come from the nests or heaps
of the great wood ants, either the black or the red ant.
These are mounds of fir needles, being in many instances
as large at the bottom in circumference as a wagon
wheel, and from 2 to 3 ft. in height — even larger where
they are very old ones. They are found in fir woods,
on the warm, sunny slopes under the trees, as a rule,
pretty close to the stems of the trees. The partridges
and their chicks do not visit these heaps, for they
would get bitten to death by the ferocious creatures.
The keepers and their lads procure the eggs of these,
and a nice job it is ! A wood-pick, a sack, and a shovel
are the implements required for the work. Round the
men's gaiters or trousers leather straps are tightly
buckled, to prevent, if possible, the great ants from
fixing on them, as they will try to do, like bulldogs,
when the heaps are harried. The top of the heap is
shovelled off, laying open the domestic arrangements
of the ant-heap, and showing also the alarmed and
curious ants trying to carry off their large eggs to a
place of safety ; but it is all in vain ! Eggs and all,
they go into the sack. In spite of every precaution,
the ant-egg getters do get bitten severely, for the ants
would fix on anything. They spit, as the men term
it, their strong acid venomously. . . . These heaps are
harried for the home-bred birds — that is, home and
hand-fed ones, both pheasants and partridges hatched

THE PARTRIDGE 209

by small game-hens — game-fowl kept specially for that
purpose — from the eggs that have been taken from the
outlying nests." Or, as we have shown, from the de-
stroyed or partially destroyed nests. " Other strains
of the domestic fowl are used, but the game-hens are
the favourite foster-parents. When the birds are fed
with the eggs, as many of the ants as it is possible to
get rid of are kept out ; but some are sure to be mixed
up with the eggs, and these fix on the birds, making
them jump off the ground. The common emmets, the
creatures that the wild birds feed on — their young
broods particularly — are harmless, but the large wood
ants are not."

But it is strongly to be recommended that the chicks
which have been placed under the care of the game-
hen should be transferred as soon as possible to a brood
of partridges of much the same age as the chicks.
Artificial rearing and feeding presents many difficulties
and risks, and there is no difficulty in the way of a
parent partridge receiving the little strangers into her
home, granted that the domestic hearth is not already
too crowded.

For the guidance of the keeper it might be useful
here to summarise the circumstances under which he is
entitled to lift eggs and transfer them to the game-fowl : —

(1) In those cases where a nest has been disturbed
by a dog or a casual intruder, and there is a reasonable
fear that the parent partridge may desert its nest.

(2) Where the parent birds have been killed or

210 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

frightened away either by mowing machines or by other
intruders.

(3) In cases where the eggs are found nested in
positions of danger, or where in the judgment of the
keeper they are lying in too exposed a position.

(4) In cases where two hens have laid in the same
nest and quarrel as to the right of taking sole control
of the eggs.

There are circumstances where a very careful and
observant keeper may be able to say definitely that
certain eggs have just been laid. If he can trust to
the accuracy of his knowledge in such cases, and if he
be faced with any of the four conditions mentioned
above, he may transfer the eggs to the nests of other
birds which have not begun to brood, and which have
not already their full supply of eggs — that is to say,
not more than eighteen or twenty.

The eggs for artificial rearing may either be eggs
collected from the nests of partridges on the estate, or
may be bought from recognised English game farms.
In the former case it is sometimes necessary, in the
latter always so, to test if an egg is still fertile. This
is done by putting the egg into water. If still fertile
it will sink to the bottom of the vessel used, if addled
it will float. It will be observed that occasionally the
larger end of the egg tends to point upwards and not
to be quite flat at the bottom. This indicates that the
egg is rather stale. The old adage may be quoted,
The fresher the flatter.

THE PARTRIDGE 211

When the eggs have begun to chip they should all
be removed to the incubator, except two or three —
never less than two. When hatching has taken place,
the chicks are put into the drying-box, but not kept
there very long before removal to the game-hen who
is acting as foster-mother. It is wise to see that the
hen is well fed before she receives her hatched brood.
Chicks should be carefully turned into the coops at
night time. After six weeks of artificial feeding they
are turned into the cornfields.

Attention must be drawn here to the practices which
have proved so successful at Sketchworth Park. They
are described in detail by Mr. Argus Olive in Country
Life of 1 4th November 1903: " The partridges are
allowed to go on laying until they have started to in-
cubate their eggs, then about the third day of sitting
their treasures are removed from them and sham eggs
are given in their places, so that the birds continue to
sit until their own eggs that have been put under hens
are chipped. The process is not completed until twenty-
five of these chipped eggs are brought to the sitting
partridge, whereas probably only fifteen or fewer were
taken from her. She is easy enough to deal with, and
if she objects to the hand that introduces the eggs and
takes away the sham ones, she will not move more than
a yard or two, and will come back directly she is
allowed to do so.

" It is not supposed that she would, from the start,
incubate twenty-five eggs, but it is a different thing

212 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

when the young are so far self-sustaining as to be able
to chip the shell ; and it has been known, even before
the period of the process of incubation, that a desertion
and absence of outside heat for twenty-four hours has
not killed the embryo. At any rate, without arguing
the case, the hen partridge does hatch off these twenty-
five chipped eggs. It will therefore happen that three
old birds will care for all the eggs of five, so that two
birds out of five are not kept sitting upon sham eggs,
but have their nests destroyed. The object of this is
that they should start laying again, and in order that
this should be certain, these two are robbed before
incubation begins, for it is a questionable point if par-
tridges that have once become broody very often lay
again ; if they do, how early or rather how late they
do it. Personally, I do not believe many ever lay
again that season if they have once started to sit. At
any rate, the risk is not worth running, and as these
two birds will each be good for about eight second nest
eggs, if the first are taken in time, the moral is obvious.
In practice, this seems to be the utmost improvement
that has proved successful. Its gross result for the five
birds may be stated thus — Safety from thunderstorms
and from vermin for the incubating eggs, and besides,
ninety-one eggs instead of seventy-five for every five
birds."

Feeding of the Young Birds. — We have already
spoken in former paragraphs as to the feeding of the
young chicks which have been placed under the care

THE PARTRIDGE 213

of a foster-mother. It is only necessary for us to add
a few remarks here on the general feeding of the young
partridges when they are reared artificially.

It is essential that the young partridges should have
a good supply of the pupse of ants during the first fort-
night after hatching. When these are not obtainable,
Mr. Carnegie recommends bruised wheat soaked and
then fried. " About the third or fourth day, some
custard may be given mixed with lettuce, chickweed,
plantain (the unripe flower), groundsel, rice, broken
small and boiled, and small quantities of any small bird-
seed. The best way is to make a thinnish custard, and
mix some of the other food material with it, always
giving preponderance to the green food. Any insects
which may be obtainable may also be given, in addi-
tion to the ants' eggs, which, it is necessary to remark,
ought not to be offered the chicks till the other food has
satisfied their appetites." "Boiled rice, custard, or hard-
boiled eggs," says Lord Walsingham, " well crushed,
will certainly ensure the saving of a fair proportion of
the chicks ; but these alone are by no means equal to
the same with the addition of ants' eggs. It is a good
plan to sweep the rough herbage on the borders of some
neighbouring field or wood with a coarse bag-net made
of canvas or calico on a stiff iron hoop fixed on a strong
handle. By this means a large number of insects of
various kinds are easily collected, and can be conveyed
in a bag to the coops, and thrown down for the birds.
When the birds are three weeks or a month old, the

214 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

same food that is given to young pheasants may be
provided for them, but grain should in no case be given,
unless first soaked and crushed."

The coops for artificially fed partridgesarebestplaced
in fields where the grass has been cut. The young
chicks are then able to take advantage of the new grass
as it grows. The coops should be moved daily, so as
to ensure a new feeding-ground, with its potentialities of
grass and insect life. A supply of water is necessary for
all partridges, whether artificially reared or in a wild state,
and it is as well, in a great drought, to distribute small
drinking-troughs over the estate. In this way the lives
of many young or even old partridges have been saved.

In making these remarks on the artificial rearing
of partridges, it is only necessary to add that it is much
more important that the keeper should give his time and
sense to the careful watching and protecting of the wild
birds in the nesting season, than that he should be con-
cerned in the processes above described. Very few
sportsmen go in for artificial rearing, and it is practi-
cally unknown in Scotland.

It is not intended in this volume to attempt to de-
scribe the various methods of hand-rearing partridges.
The French or Continental is the principal one, the
others being modifications to suit the surroundings and
climate. The advantage of more natural surroundings,
and the use of the parent birds, is undoubtedly of great
value. The subject is one which will require a small
book to itself, and we would advise those intending

THE PARTRIDGE 215

to take up the French system to buy one of the pam-
phlets which devotes itself entirely to such details.

4. The Improvement of the Stock by the Introduction
of Eggs from other Breeding-Grounds, and the
Importation of Foreign (chiefly Hungarian] Par-
tridges.

In many instances nowadays it is to be feared that
sportsmen expect too large a bag of game — they are
not content with the bags of half a century ago. The
constant attempts to make ground carry a larger stock
of birds than Nature intends it to, is creating an arti-
ficial situation, and this has many risks, and must tend
to disappointments. If these are to be avoided, the
sportsman should try to gauge the stock of game his
land will reasonably carry with fair attention and
feeding.

Enough has been written with regard to the criminal
abuse of the practice of buying eggs for the purpose of
improving stock, and it is again referred to in another
chapter. Far and away the best method is to obtain
the eggs from a friendly sportsman. Rather than buy
eggs from strangers, it is better to lay down Hungarian
partridges or buy Hungarian eggs. This remark, of
course, is made with the object in view of counteracting
the dishonesty that is apt to be associated with the trade
in eggs. 1 1 is most necessary to state that eggs obtained,
for the purpose of being placed in the nests of parent
partridges, must be freshly laid ; if incubation has com-

216 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

menced, they are best dealt with under foster-parents.
For the improvement of the breed of stock, an inter-
change of eggs is made recourse to, either simply by
transferring eggs from brood to brood on one's own
ground (where this is extensive), or by dealing with a
friendly neighbour. A similar interchange or trans-
ference of birds may be recommended. On one's own
property birds may be captured, while at feed, by coops.
Two out of three cocks should be killed and the re-
mainder removed to the ground indicated. Here they
are kept under coop for a few days, fed sparingly, and
then turned out. The same process is followed when
exchange is determined on with birds from neighbour-
ing properties or from a distance.

With regard to the introduction of Hungarian par-
tridges a few remarks are necessary. They should be
turned down sparingly — a few every year. On this
point Messrs. Tudway and Hall write : " The earlier
they are turned down the better. Birds should always
be turned down at night, in the neighbourhood of their
water and food supply. If this does not exist, supply
both. On the night that the keeper turns them down,
let him first separate the sexes, and then place about
four hens in one spot, and the same number of cocks
at a distance, repeating the process while the birds last.
This will give them the chance of mating with English
birds the same season."

The practice which is followed by the present writer,
who has for years dealt with Hungarian partridges, is

THE PARTRIDGE 217

as follows : He erects enclosures — each 8 ft. by
5 ft. — at various parts of his partridge ground. The
enclosures are about 3 ft. high, and are made of
wire-netting fixed on stout poles, covered at the top
with packsheet to prevent the birds hurting themselves
in their attempts at flight. One end of each enclosure
is movable, and is virtually a wired gate. Inside and
all round each enclosure are placed fir branches, which
act as excellent cover. From six to eight birds are
placed in each and are fed on barley and hay seeds for
eight days. At the end of that time they are settled
down. Food is then scattered outside of the enclos-
ures, and on a dark night the " gate " end is opened.
Lord Walsingham's modification of this plan, as far
as it affects the letting out of a few birds at a time, is
probably an improvement.

But whatever method be adopted, on no account
should the practice — which we have observed on more
than one occasion — be followed of letting the birds out
on the night of their arrival and after being hustled
about for days in the process of travelling. Where
such a procedure is practised, the birds immediately
take flight, and, flying hard, fall exhausted many miles
from where they were laid down.

The questions of (5) The Destruction of Vermin,
(6) Poachers and Poaching, and (7) The Good Under-
standing with Farmers and their Employees, are dealt
with elsewhere. It is only necessary to conclude this
part of the subject by referring to the question of the

218 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

killing of some of the cock birds, which are nearly
always in excess of the hens in each covey. The keeper
should get the consent of the master to kill a few cock
birds at the pairing season.

Note. — It has been recommended by some authori-
ties that at the pairing season the keeper should scour
the grass fields and drive the birds into the corn fields,
so as to urge them to make their nests there instead of
in the more exposed grass or lea fields.

Shooting the Partridge

Walking up. — In shooting partridges by walking
them up, pointers and setters are used in those cases
where there is not too large a stock of birds and where
economy of time and energy is desired. In the majority
of cases, however, they are dispensed with. Some of
the main points to be remembered by the keeper in the
shooting of partridges by the walking-up method may
be enumerated : —

(1) It is very advisable, before the shooting com-
mences, that the stubble and lea fields be well beaten in
the early morning, for the purpose of driving the birds
into the covers of potatoes and turnips — the former
for preference. The keeper should send out boys for
this purpose, or he may gallop on a pony over the
fields, driving the birds in and noting their destination.

(2) A good deal of time will be saved, and a large
amount of important information gathered, if a marker
or markers be posted on high vantage grounds to note

THE PARTRIDGE 219

and indicate the flight of coveys. Any piece of high
ground near to the scene of action may be used for this
purpose, or the marker may even use a tree from which
to " look out." Even when hands are scarce it is better
to utilise a marker at the expense of the number of
beaters and attendants than to dispense with him alto-
gether, unless the lie of the land be such that he is
either useless or superfluous. This will be found a very
exceptional condition of affairs. There must be no
" halloing " between keeper and marker. A code of
signals may be arranged, a whistle being used for pre-
ference. It is well, however, for the keeper or one of
his underlings to interview the marker from time to
time and thus be able to obtain accurate information.

(3) It should never be suggested that guns should
go into a turnip field unless birds have been seen to go,
or are known to have gone, into it.

(4) Before the guns and beaters begin to cross a
field, the keeper should see that the hedgerows at the
beginning of the beat are thoroughly searched, and that
all the fences are explored, before the field is finally
abandoned.

(5) The keeper should be particularly careful to
warn the guns to keep a sharp look-out at the end of
every beat. Guns are apt to slacken their attention as
they approach a hedgerow or the corner of a field. It
is at such places that birds, which have run ahead in
front of the guns, are apt to rise.

(6) If it be left to the keeper to decide how the guns

220 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

and the beaters are to advance, he may choose one of
several methods, the most usual being the advance in
line and the " half-moon " principle. The former plan
is the more common, especially when the field is at all
extensive, but it is as well to recommend, when this
practice is followed, that when the end guns are close
to a hedge one or two of them should be flanked, that
is, a little in advance of the others. When a strong
wind is blowing across the field, it would be better that
the line be flanked in every beat. The keeper's atten-
tion must be constantly kept to the formation and even-
ness of the line of guns and beaters. If the "half-
moon " pattern be used, it is necessary to drop a polite
hint as to the danger involved. If this be done judi-
ciously, it will be well for the whole party and will not
cause offence.

For an elaborate description of this form of advance,
and for information as to other less used methods such
as the advance by echelon, the keeper is referred to
Lord Walsingham's excellent account in the volume
on Shooting in the Badminton Library.

It is hardly necessary to add that in approaching
a covey in a stubble or lea field, never by any chance
should the guns be advised to advance directly on the
birds. They must be flanked, and approached by a
wide horseshoe pattern, which tends to become a circle
as the guns proceed.

(7) If in beating a field there be no desire to drive
birds in one particular direction, then the guns and

THE PARTRIDGE 221

beaters should wheel ; but if it be desired to force the
birds ahead, the line should come back to the original
starting-point.

(8) When a single bird is killed, the place should
be carefully marked by the keeper or by one of the
beaters, and the line should continue to advance till
the place is reached. Where several birds have fallen,
sticks should be planted at the nearest points possible
to the places where they are likely to be found. When
a bird towers or falls at a great distance, an attempt
should be made to mark the spot by selecting some
object in the field of vision that will give the line of
the bird — a tree at the end of the field, some outstand-
ing piece of growth in the field, or a gap in a hedge,
may be useful for this purpose.

(9) In working the retrievers for picking up birds,
the following instructions should be carefully remem-
bered : — (a) First pick up the birds that have fallen
behind the guns, (b) Leave alone all consideration
of runners till the dead are picked up. (c) Never allow
a dog to go on to fresh ground. Runners or birds that
have dropped far out may be picked up in later beats,
care being taken to remember their line. If, in the
later beats, there be any difficulty in finding, a man
may be left behind with a retriever, while the guns pro-
ceed to another cover, (d) Only send a dog immedi-
ately forward to a killed bird if you can absolutely trust
him. (e) In picking up a bird, let the dog have the
wind of it. Dogs work better alone, and not with men

222 THE KEEPERS BOOK

near them to spoil their scent. Men carrying hares or
rabbits are especially to be warned off.

(10) The keeper should remember the unvarying
law — the line must move slowly, evenly, and silently.

Note. — It is in every way to be recommended that,
where partridges are habitually killed by the walking-
up principle, an occasional drive should be arranged.
In this way the coveys are dispersed, there is an inter-
change of blood, and old barren birds are killed off.

Driving Partridges

There are several important points in connection
with a partridge drive that the keeper should keep in
his mind : —

(1) The question of fences is of importance where
partridge-driving is regularly practised year by year.
The keeper should, along with his master, try to use
persuasion with the farmers not to cut their fences too
low. If the good relationships referred to in Chapter
III. be maintained, this should be easy. Shooting
from behind a good high hedge is quite a different
matter than from behind a low-clipped one, or from
behind an artificial " butt " in the shape of an impro-
vised hurdle.

(2) In the majority of cases the keeper will find
that the guns will take up their position for shooting
guided by their own knowledge of the sport, but he
may be called upon to indicate to the less experienced
the best positions to assume. He will keep in mind

THE PARTRIDGE 223

the necessity for good cover, and remember the rule of
experience, that guns should stand near to the hedge
in up-wind drives, and well out from the hedge in
down-wind drives. From a high fence in the latter
case the guns should stand far out.

(3) The law of making experimental drives, as laid
down in the chapter on Grouse, must be followed. In
this way the line of the general flight of the birds will
be learnt, and it must be carefully remembered that
partridges will not be driven the way they are not
accustomed to go.

(4) It is best to preface a drive by ordering the
beaters, in the morning, to drive the birds from off any
outlying ground.

(5) It is advisable to have the first drive with the
birds driven down wind.

(6) The beaters, on moving forward to a drive,
should pass along a boundary fence.

(7) In bringing back the birds for another drive,
the knowledge of their flight is important. It is use-
less to attempt to bring back birds from directly behind
the guns if the birds have not flown there. This seems
a truism, but it is necessary to indicate that such foolish-
ness is often practised. Remember the seemingly
simple, but oft forgotten, rule : Bring back the birds
from where they have flown with the wind.

It is advisable, in bringing back birds against the
wind, that some of the guns should walk with the
beaters, as a great many birds in this case break back.

224 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

(8) The head-keeper should form the centre of the
line of beaters, to guide and warn the flanks, and he
should, for preference, be mounted.

(9) The law of flanking is the same as in the case
of grouse-driving. A screen, well thrown forward,
should always be formed on the down-wind side.
Flanks should be enlarged and increased according to
the wind, and it is as well that good guns be placed
along with the flanks who are on the down-wind side.
When there are no guns on the flanked side, or when
their presence is discounted, there should be a good
deal of shouting and waving of flags on that side.

( 10) In addition to the keepers, who stand with their
retrievers behind the stationary guns, there should be
a keeper or two at the other end of the field in which
the guns are standing, to mark and pick up towering
birds, and those that have dropped far out.

( 1 1 ) All birds should be picked up on the day of
the drive. Scouring the fields on the day following
disturbs the birds too much. Partridges should always
be allowed a day of rest after a drive.

Poaching the Partridge

Where it is possible, there should always be extra
hands engaged in the nesting season, and every care
should be taken to systematically watch the fields
where there are nests. Bushing must be carefully
carried out. " An excellent plan " (writes Sir R.
Payne Gallwey) " to check the operation of poachers

THE PARTRIDGE 225

who net partridges, is to procure three sticks of thorn,
each 2 ft. long, tie them across in the centre, with
wire or tarred string in the form of a cross or star,
sharpen their ends, and place one of the points lightly
in the ground. This arrangement cannot be seen at
night, and on being touched by a net rolls up in it end
over end like a wheel. The sticks can be kept from
year to year ready for use, and be quickly placed in
position in the fields."

Another plan is to drive oak posts, about an inch
square and 2 to 3 ft. long, into the ground at various
points over the fields. It will add to their usefulness
if a few nails be driven into the posts near to the top.

But whether bushing, poling, or other method be
carried out, such practice must not supersede careful
day and night watching.

NOTES

CHAPTER XI

THE DEERSTALKER
By CAPTAIN HENRY SHAW KENNEDY

To my mind, for an outdoor servant, there is no more
delightful occupation than that of a deerstalker. His
life is generally spent in wild and magnificent scenery,
and though the house or lodge he lives in may be
isolated — perhaps twenty miles from the nearest town
or village — yet there is a charm in the isolation, and
there is a slight romance in living out of the world far
from human ken. What can be more delightful than
to feel that the " wild reel deers," as they call them, are
your only neighbours for miles and miles. Well, if these
are not to the stalker's liking, I should advise his taking
to some other trade.

But now to business. Every man is not fitted to be
a deerstalker — in fact, very few men are. No man need
attempt to take on this job with success unless he is
sound in heart, lung, and limb, with sight of the very
best. The stalker must be a first-class walker — never
know what it is to be tired ; and, above all things, his
soul must be in his work.

It is no easy task to outwit a large herd of deer, over

227

228 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

ground they have lived on for years, with tricky winds
blowing up the corries, and take your " gentleman "
safely up to shooting distance.

My experience of the deerstalkers I have met and
crawled with, and they are a goodly few, I look back
upon with the greatest pleasure. I have invariably
found them most delightful companions and keen (in
fact, sometimes too keen) sportsmen, and I may say that
some of the happiest days of my life have been spent
on the hillside in their company, and I don't think I am
wrong in calling them Nature's gentlemen.

Now and again one comes across lazy and indifferent
stalkers (men who, in many cases, have become degener-
ate by the too frequent use of the black bottle), but, as
a rule, they are few and far between, and for them I have
no use, and have nothing to say.

These fewlittle hints I am now writingare not meant
in the least to serve as advice to the old deerstalker —
he has little to learn, and is as wise and cute as the
red deer himself or an old cock grouse on a mountain-
side ; but it is for the young stalker learning the practices
of his trade that I write these few lines of simple advice,
which may possibly be of use to him. For, looking back
on old stalking days, how well I remember many a long
and difficult stalk and crawl magnificently planned and
carried out by the stalkers, marred at the last moment
by some trifling error arising from want of experience.
Instead of the stalk being a red-letter day in the forest,
a day crowned by the prize of a goodly stag, it has ended

THE DEERSTALKER 229

merely in a long, dreary walk home in the dark, with
your " gentleman" low and depressed in spirits, and
fully aware that he will be well chaffed over the miss
when he returns to the lodge.

We will now imagine ourselves in front of a forest
lodge, time 9 a.m. (I am all for stalkers being " early
astir," as the sporting papers term it, for late autumn
days are short). Stalkers, gillies, and ponies with deer
saddles, the number of the latter varying with the number
of rifles to take the hill, all are preparing for the start.

Now, young stalker, the first thing, we presume, is
that you are suitably dressed. Nothing to my mind
can be better than Lovat mixture, but there are one
hundred and one different patterns of cloth equally
as good, and in several forests they have their own
particular brand that they swear by, which is worn by
stalkers, gillies, and the * 'gentlemen "themselves. How-
ever, these are matters of detail. Of course, the nature
of the ground makes some mixtures much more suitable
than others.

Of one thing I am certain : it is always best to have
the whole of your suit and your cap made of the same
material. I have often watched a line of grouse drivers
on a hillside through a glass from a distance, and have
always found the most conspicuous were those who wore
mixed suits — that is, coat of one material and knickers
of another.

As regards boots or shoes, I prefer the former, as
they give more support to the ankles ; and spats when

230 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

wet are apt to make cold feet ; but this is entirely a
matter of taste.

As each " gentleman " is told off to his beat by
his host, this is the time, stalker, young or old, to be
observant. Make certain you have got your " gentle-
man's" rifle and cartridges. I have known the discovery
made when nearing the end of a stalk that "the bullets"
had been left behind. If you are to take the hill with
a sportsman you have been out with before, you have
little to learn ; but if he is a newcomer, you must try
and find out for yourself, unobserved, what he is made
of before getting him up to deer. In all probability
you will have a mile or two to walk up the valley or
up the hill before you come to the first spying-ground.
As a rule, your " gentleman " will walk with and talk
to you, and now is your chance ; he may be an old
shikari and know every card of the game, and be able
to walk as well as, perhaps better than, yourself, and
may be able to teach you a wrinkle or two ; but this
you will not be long in finding out, and vice versa.

Should your " gentleman " be elderly, or you find
that he is not a good walker, you must at once suit
your step to his pace as much as possible, for many
a good day has been marred and many a good stag
missed by young stalkers not keeping this fact particu-
larly in mind. They bring their " gentleman" up to
shooting distance faultlessly, having made a magnifi-
cent stalk in treacherous wind over most difficult ground.
But too fast ! too fast ! they have never turned to look

THE DEERSTALKER 231

at the panting object behind them ; the rifle is pulled
out of its cover, shoved into the sportsman's hand, and
the whisper, " Tak' 'im noo, tak' 4m noo, Captain — the
big black one.'' But alas! the sportsman's sides are
heaving, his heart is throbbing, and his hand is shaking
from excitement and fatigue, and, getting up, he draws
an unsteady bead, which results in a miss and remorse
for the rest of the day.

Now all this might have been different had you
adapted your pace to that of your " gentleman," which,
if deer are settled, it is just as easy to do as going at
your own pace. Of course there are times, when deer
are on the move, that you must go fast — in fact, race —
for a shot, but the stalker should always remember that
there is not the slightest advantage in his being one
hundred or two hundred yards in front of his " gentle-
man " (a condition of affairs I have seen). The two
should be in close touch with one another.

But let us now hark back to the spying-point. Now,
young stalker, we will presume that you are thoroughly
acquainted with a glass, and before you have sat down
two minutes to spy you will know if your " gentleman "
is at home with it or not. He may be a first-class man
with the glass, but you must not think you are a better
man than he because you pick out deer first, as this
results from the fact that you know the ground and
exactly where to find them. The sportsman, on the
other hand, is heavily handicapped, being a stranger
and not knowing the likely spots to put his glass on ;

232 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

but in two minutes, as I said before, you can tell if he
is at home and of any use with the glass. The novice
you will detect at once ; he is quite at sea with it, and
has not the slightest idea of putting himself into a spy-
ingposition, nor of keeping the glass steady — one minute
he gazes at the sky, the next he plunges into the heather.
Now, having discovered your " gentleman " is a duffer
(you need not tell him so), but seems anxious to learn,
do everything you can to show him the best spying
positions — off your knee, or off a stick, etc., and above
all things be patient — suit yourself to the occasion. Of
course, it is a thousand times better and far less trouble
for you to find your " gentleman" an accomplished
stalker. You may then very often pick up little hints
from him if you are attentive and observant, and you
can both work so much better together and consult one
another as to the stalk.

But let us suppose you have found deer from your
first spying-point, and a stag among them fit to shoot,
and your " gentleman" a novice, then take plenty of
time to explain matters to him, make him have a good
look at the deer through his glass, point out to him the
way the wind is blowing, and how you intend making
the stalk. This procedure will be far more interesting
to him than if you shut up your glass, telling him nothing,
as some do, but simply let him follow you like a shadow
as you crawl and creep over rocks and wade through
burns. It is far more exciting for him to know the spot
you are making for than to treat him as a nonentity.

THE DEERSTALKER 233

Therefore explain to him that when you are crawling
he must crawl, and when you are slithering he must
slither, and when you lie flat he must lie flat, and should
you suddenly stop (an action prompted perhaps by an
old hind looking up), he must stop at once also, in how-
ever disagreeable a position he may be, and not move
a muscle till he gets the " office " from you. Sometimes
you are caught with one knee in a green spring and the
other on a sharp rock, which is anything but pleasant ;
but such are the ups and downs of deerstalking. When
you are crawling with an inexperienced " gentleman,"
it is always best to look round every now and then to
see if he is acting in conformity with you or not, for
sometimes a stalker cannot conceive what has put deer
off the ground till he looks round to find his " gentle-
man's " head buried in the ground, but his heels in the
air, or some part of his body showing.

Now, having walked, run, crawled, wriggled,
slithered over fearful ground, sometimes in sight of deer
and sometimes not, you have arrived safely within a few
yards of where you expect to get your shot — now is the
time for you, of all others, to keep perfectly calm.
Nervousness and excitement are very infectious, and
you are very apt to infect your " gentleman," especially
if he be a novice, and very often if he is not. I cannot
imagine any more exciting moments than those spent as
you are just crawling up to the last little hillock or rock,
knowing there is one of the finest harts of the forest
within one hundred yards.

234 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

Have the cover of your rifle unbuckled and all ready
to be pulled out in a second; see that it is loaded and the
safety bolt properly adjusted and in working order ; it
is never desirable to crawl with a loaded rifle more than
is necessary; and, above all things, do not take for your-
self the best, and perhaps the only good spot to shoot.
Make your "gentleman "creep alongside of you, or even
a few inches in advance ; let him have the front seat
now, and choose the position he likes best to shoot from.
I have often seen a good, experienced stalker take the
front and only possible place to fire from himself, pull
the rifle out of the cover, thrust it into his "gentleman's"
hand, and expect him to shoot as best he could.

There are a hundred and one little trivial circum-
stances that cause a miss at the last moment that could
be so easily avoided.

Crawl close up alongside your "gentleman" — do
not let him fire till the stag is offering a good broadside
chance. If the deer have not " taken you up," there is
no hurry whatever, unless the light is failing, when the
sooner you shoot the better. Now, having given your
"gentleman" the hint — " Tak' him noo, Captain," he
will at once place his forefinger round the trigger in the
shape of an " 'ook " (as our old drill sergeant used to
teach us), " and, without moving the ' 'ead, 'and, or heye/
press the trigger gently until the 'ammer falls " ; and I
think, if he follows out these instructions to theletter, the
stag will also fall — and thus conclude a successful stalk.

But other little trifles very often cause a miss, such

THE DEERSTALKER 235

as blades of waving grass or heather being in front of
the foresight. Now, to avoid these, the rifle must be
raised to clear them, with the result that it is then found
difficult to secure a good rest. To overcome this diffi-
culty, if the ground is suitable, lie face downwards in
front of your " gentleman," and give him your shoulders
as an excellent rest to shoot from. It will, of course, be
necessary to gradually raise or lower yourself until he
gets the right height. A short stick is also very handy
to shoot from if used carefully, but, of course, you run
the risk of its being " taken up " by the deer. Another
point I would advise all stalkers to be most careful of,
and that is, having got their " gentleman " safely up to
the last shooting-point, be sure that he takes the right
stag. I have often seen terrible disappointment by his
taking the wrong one. Nor is it always the sportsman's
fault. Perhaps for over an hour he has been crawling
behind the stalker, his nose glued to the latter's boots,
and has never had a chance of looking at the deer he is
stalking, till the last hurried moment before firing ; and
it is not always so easy to pick out the best stag amongst
a big lot, wildly scattered, unless there is something
very distinctive about his head or body. Now, the
" gentleman " having taken his shot, and you have seen
that the stag has got it in the right place and is lying
dead on the hillside, it is best to remain still for a minute
or so, as the herd of deer are much more likely to settle
again soon, and not go over the march, than if you
rushed in before they are out of sight.

236 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

It is safest to unload the rifle after the stalk is over.

Having "galloched" your stag, put him on the pony,
and started him for the lodge, and have your lunch, and
the day being still young, you can commence again, spy-
ing fresh corries and findingfresh deer, andmay, perhaps,
have one or two more successful stalks before night ;
but on no account should you be bloodthirsty — it is much
better, to my mind, to have a blank day than to bring
in an unshootable stag ; it spoils the average weight of
the year, and, if many of these sort are shot, it spoils the
reputation of a forest. A stalker should know exactly
his master's wishes as to how many stags one indi-
vidual " rifle" should bring in on one day. I have
known a " rifle " go out and, being carried away by his
own excitement and his stalker's encouragement, bring
in five, oreven six, stags in a day, which were not worthy
to hang by their heels in the larder.

Now, to my mind, that " gentleman " need not think
himself hardly used if he is not asked to shoot in that
forest again, and the stalker need not think himself a
martyr if he gets the " Royal Order of the Boot." These
" Waterloo " days, when several indifferent stags are
killed, spoil the sport for others, as later in the season,
when real good stags come on the ground, they cannot
be shot, as the limit may have been reached which, to
put it mildly, is a most annoying fact.

Now I am going to tread on very dangerous ground.
A stalker cannot be too careful how he acts with regard
to the forests that march with him. I don't think I am

THE DEERSTALKER 237

exaggerating when I say that, as a rule, there is more
jealousy, more rivalry, and more cool feelings (may I use
the words ?) among neighbours on deer forests than in
any other locality. I find it exists not only among the
owners, but among the stalkers and the gillies, and this
jealousy is as infectious as the grouse disease itself.
Again, Mr. Stalker, I offer my humble advice. If it be
possible, do all in your power to keep friendly with your
neighbouring forests and foresters. I am sure it will
pay you best in the long-run, for, in many ways and
particularly in adverse winds, your neighbour can do
incalculable damage to your sport.

Now we will jump from the neighbouring forests to
your glass — not the glass of Glenlwet, but to your tele-
scope— to my mind by far the greatest friend a deer-
stalker has got, for, when it fails, you may as well " put
up the shutters." It is the one great pull you have over
the deer, as you are able to pick them up long before
they, even with their keen eyes, can detect you. Now,
you cannot be too careful of this said glass. In very
bad weather it is very apt to get fogged and be quite
useless until taken to pieces and dried. Remember, then,
when your glass is " bunged up," you are badly handi-
capped, and, to my mind, you lose half the pleasure of
stalking. If it is a very wet day, use your glass as little
as possible. A good plan for you and your " gentleman"
is to take it in turns to spy, so that, if one glass gets
out of order, you have the other to fall back upon.
Always take your glasses to pieces every night and have

238 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

them well dried in front of the fire. This rule applies
also to the case, which, if damp, is apt to fog the glass.
A waterproof cover to slip on when the glass is in use
will be found a great protection.

I will not go into all the " pros and cons " of different
rifles — you could write volumes on this subject, and
every man knows what rifle he prefers. The great thing,
to my mind, is to hold them straight. I have often
heard the very best of rifles abused for inaccurate shoot-
ing, when the real cause was "stag fever" — a very
common complaint. As a stalker, you will most likely
be provided with a rifle of some sort to shoot hinds with
in the winter, and, with a little practice, you can soon
suit yourself to any rifle. Remember always that, like
your glass, you cannot be too careful with your rifle or
that of your "gentleman." They should be cleaned
immediately after you return from stalking, and hung up.
Some sportsmen of my acquaintance clean their rifles
themselves, and do not trust any one else to touch them.
Of course this is the safest plan, and no blame can
be attached to the stalker if anything goes wrong. I
should advise having a rifle sighted — not too finely —
to shoot point-blank at a known distance, say 100
yards, and then you can work up or down, i.e. now
higher or lower for longer or shorter distances, which
will as a rule vary from 80 to 200 yards.

Try to avoid getting too near your deer, and do not
encourage the novice to try long shots.

The stalking season over, the sportsmen having all

THE DEERSTALKER 239

gone south, you are left a good deal to your own devices.
You have the long winter to get through, which, of
course, must be more or less monotonous in your isolated
lodge, but if you are a good man, you will find plenty to
keep you occupied — watching your deer in the heavy
snowdrifts, and doing what you can for them. You will
also very often have hinds l to kill, and, next to stalk-
ing the stag himself, what better sport could you wish
for ? Then, when the New Year comes round, you can
spend many an hour watching for good stags to shed
their horns, for these, and many other little items, such
as skins, etc., are looked upon as the stalker's per-
quisites.2

On the Deterioration of Heads

Before concluding, I would like to make a few re-
marks on a subject that hardly comes under the heading
of " The Duties of a Stalker," but yet must be a most

1 This question of hind-shooting is of primary importance in its
applicability to the improvement of stock. We leave out of count alto-
gether the question of good venison, which ought to be secondary to the
desire to assist the general welfare of the forest. In keeping this in view,
the main point to be attended to is the destruction of old hinds, whose
calves are in ninety per cent, of cases feeble and unhealthy, and, in the
opinion of many authorities, chiefly females. The stalking gillie is too
apt to lose sight of the primary object of his work, and to select well-
conditioned hinds, instead of the decrepit females before mentioned.
" It has been proved," says one writer, " that ninety per cent, of yeld hinds
killed would have had stag calves in the ensuing season. Thus, every
ten yeld hinds killed mean a loss of nine prospective stags to the forest."
On this account yeld hinds should be left alone. P. J. M.

2 Every young stalker should procure, if possible, a small copy of
Mr. Grimble's excellent book on Deerstalking. In it he will find a fund
of information.

240 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

interesting and useful study for him, and that is the
growth and development of the deer's horn, from the
time it commences to sprout (covered with velvet) from
the stag's skull, till later it develops into what I con-
sider one of the most picturesque and most prized and
valued trophies a good sportsman can possess, a finely
matured stag's head. I feel I am treading on danger-
ous ground when I write on this subject, so many abler
and more experienced men than myself have made a
lifelong study of deer's horns, and a great many most
interesting and instructive articles have been written re-
garding them, and yet, in spite of all this writing, and
in spite of all this study of animal life, there is no dis-
puting the fact that of late years the heads of Scottish
red deer have been deteriorating greatly, and "all the
king's stalkers and all the king's men " cannot put a
stop to this and make them pick up again. I think I
am correct in saying that this deterioration is going on
in almost every forest in Scotland, and I think all old
stalkers will corroborate me in this and tell you the
same tale, — "Heads are going back, back, back!"
What is to be done ? Money will not stop it, artificial
feeding in winter will not stop it, and the introduction
of fresh blood and park deer seems of no avail, though
I do think that good wintering in a small way helps
deer to grow better heads. But in my very humble
opinion, and I trust I will not bring a hornet's nest of
deerstalkers about me for what I am going to say —
to my mind, the key to this deterioration of late lies in

THE DEERSTALKER 241

the wholesale killing year after year of the very stags
that should be left to reach maturity, and produce good
stock. But how is this to be prevented? It is next
door to impossible. The majority of forests are let to
yearly tenants who pay very large prices for them, and
very naturally wish to make the most they can out of
them, which, of course, means killing off the finest heads
in the said forests. As this continues year after year,
a good forest goes from bad to worse, till at last it be-
comes a wilderness of wretched, miserable stags, with
heads that no good sportsman would care to hang on
his walls.

Now, to be brief, the best possible cure for this
deterioration is, of course, to spare as much as possible
all six, seven, or eight-year-old stags with promising,
well-shaped heads, and so give them a chance, when
they are ten or twelve years old, of carrying magnificent
heads such as one sees in old drawings of Landseer
and Crealocke.

There is one great drawback to this attempted
preservation of young stags with promising heads,
and that is, that although you do everything in your
power and skill to save them, your neighbours may
kill anything or everything that comes within reach
of their rifles, and so ruin most of the good you are
trying to effect.

Now, Mr. Stalker, it is very often in your power
(though not always) to prevent the class of stag of

which I have been writing from being shot, and when
16

242 THE KEEPERS BOOK

you save one of these you contribute your mite to the
improvement of Scottish red deer's heads.

Deerstalking Notes.

In addition to what has been said in the body of
this chapter, the following points should be observed
by the young stalker : —

(a) Never attempt a down-wind stalk.

(<£) Always try to stalk down kill, as deer seldom
look up the hill, and always try to have the sun at your
back and shining in the eyes of the deer.

(c] Remember the general rule, that deer move up
wind when they are feeding.

(cf) In fine weather the biggest stags are on the
highest hills ; in wet and stormy weather they are on
lower ground.

(e) Do not stalk, or be very careful, on days when
there is a very high wind, as the deer are apt to dash
about from place to place without any obvious reason.

(/) Remember that whatever wind may be blowing
across the hills, there is always a current moving up
and down the narrow glens. It is therefore wise to
carefully spy out the ground near to where the deer
are grazing, and notice the movements of the grass in
their vicinity, and make your stalk accordingly.

Mist is the bugbear of the stalker, but in times of
enforced inaction is not wasted if you watch carefully
and note the drift of the mist as showing the different
currents of air, many of them very contrary to the

THE DEERSTALKER 243

general direction of the wind. Constant observation
is the making of a good stalker. Never try to stalk in
thick mist. You will do much harm and no good.

(g) The distance one may approach near to a herd
varies. When there is a strong wind it is not safe to
pass within a mile of the herd.

(k) In making a stalk, be particularly careful to
avoid any outlying herds of deer ; if these see you they
may scamper over the forest and upset all your
calculations.

"The best laid schemes o' mice and men
Gang aft a-gley."

NOTES

CHAPTER XII

THE RABBIT

GENERALLY speaking, rabbits are a nuisance on a pro-
perty, and should be kept down to the lowest limits.
They are a constant source of annoyance to the farmer,
and a source of expense to the proprietor who plants.
They do great damage to young trees, and unless the
keepers are very energetic in trapping them, a few
rabbits in hard weather will soon spoil a plantation.
The only sure method is netting, but this is an ex-
pensive means of limitation, so that it is questionable
whether bunny is worth his meat. Some farmers are
curiously inconsistent ; for instance, it has just come
within our notice that on an arable farm, where orders
had been given to kill down all the rabbits, the
grumbling farmer complained that they were being
killed down too hard, and that he could not get as
much as a rabbit for his house. Farmers were not
content till the law was altered to give them compensa-
tion for damage by game, and now that they have got
the rabbit kept down, they complain against its loss.
Another strong objection urged against the rabbit is
that it draws poachers.

245

246 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

The gamekeeper is called upon to regard the rabbit
in a variety of aspects, and these may be thus categori-
cally enumerated— ( i ) As vermin ; (2) as a compara-
tively unprotected and unpreserved occupant of a
shooting estate ; and (3) as a member of a carefully
preserved and systematically protected warren ; and
in dealing with him in the latter capacity the keeper
has to view him either as part of a farm — that is, when
the rabbit is preserved mainly for market purposes —
or as part of a sporting property — that is, when he is
preserved for the purposes of shooting.

He will most likely be called upon to view the
rabbit as vermin in the following cases : — ( i ) On a good
moor, generally ; (2) proximate to good partridge
cover; (3) and near to special cultivated ground — as,
for instance, farms, gardens, lawns, and the like.

Many owners have no objection to a stock of rabbits
existing on their moors, but in every way they are to
be regarded as a pest, especially in those cases where
shooting is practised over dogs, or by simply walking
up the birds. Many a brace of birds has been missed
owing to the fact that the barrels of the shooter have
been loosed on a rabbit. On this account it is as well
that the rabbit should be exterminated on a moor, and
not only on this account, but also in view of the
voracious habits of the beast, and more particularly on
account of the fouling of the ground by its excretions.
There are cases, however, on small and badly stocked
properties, where the chance of an occasional rabbit

THE RABBIT 247

affords some consolation to the weary shooter, who,
after tramping for hours without a shot, regards the
furtive bunny almost in the light of "game." The
presence of rabbits at least ensures his return with
something in the bag.

( i ) To the keen and experienced rabbit shot, nothing
affords better sport than rabbits in heather, but where
such is desired it is better that a certain part of the
moorland be reserved for the rabbit stock. On most
shootings there is a considerable acreage of ground
near to the lodge where rabbits are plentiful enough
for such purposes, and where birds do not generally
breed. But these facts do not upset the general rule
that on a moor the rabbit is to be regarded primarily
as vermin. (2) In regard to good partridge cover the
same remark is to be made, although in this case
the main objection to its existence is in relation to the
feeding capacity of the ground. As a rule, there is
not so great an objection to its presence as in the case
of the moor, especially when the cover is extensive
and is used as shooting ground. A day among the
" whins " would lose half its attractions were it not for
the rabbits which afford such excellent practice as they
dart between the bushes, and the escape of a covey of
partridges means merely, as a rule, a flight into turnips
or potatoes, the best and natural cover in which to kill
them. But if the cover just referred to is required for
a good stock of partridges, and if its food possibilities
are limited, and especially if the birds are not to be

248 THE KEEPERS BOOK

disturbed till the first drive, it is better to get rid
of the rabbits. (3) The destructiveness of rabbits is
notorious, and the keeper will often be called upon by
his master to protect his garden and his flower-bedded
lawn from their encroachments ; and a farmer has a
right to protest in those cases where rabbits are laid
down to such an extent that they overrun and materially
damage his crops.

So much for the rabbit as vermin. In considering
him as a comparatively unprotected and unpreserved
occupant of a shooting estate, we are regarding him in
his most popular and most general aspect. We use
the word "comparatively" advisedly, for in nearly
every case some protection is necessary both for the
sake of the rabbit and for the sake of proper shooting,
and however little attempt is made to convert a small
rabbit shoot into the proportions of a warren, yet it is
necessary, if rabbits are to be all healthy or numerous,
that the rule as to the addition of new blood be observed
as carefully as in the case of the latter. The unvary-
ing rule is, that new blood shoidd be introduced every
year. This is a rule, however, that is almost invariably
neglected. The law of intermarriage is the same
throughout the whole animal world. Intermarriage
amongst peoples tends to the deterioration of the race.
An uncrossed grouse stock tends to disease and death.
A rabbit stock which is left to itself accumulates
diseases of the most virulent description. The danger
is far greater in the case of rabbits than in that of birds,

THE RABBIT 249

owing to the migratory habits of the latter. Many
people refuse to eat rabbits owing to a suspicion that
disease is likely to be present. This may be an extreme
and an unnecessary caution, but the mere fact that it
exists indicates the truth that such disease is apt to be
present.

It is difficult to lay down a general law as to the
number of rabbits to be put down each year, when we
are not dealing with a warren, but merely with scattered
rabbit burrows, but we should say that about three or
four to every hundred acres of ground would be suffi-
cient. The best time is when the shooting is over, but
not later than the middle of January. This is late
enough to permit of the Christmas shootings. When
there is sufficient evidence to prove that the rabbit
stock is diminishing from any cause apart from the
destruction by gun and trap, the whole stock should
be obliterated and an entirely new one laid down.
Great care should be taken in the selection of the
ground from which the new blood is taken. It should
come from districts at as great a distance awayas is con-
sistent with convenience, and should be from ground
where the laying down of new blood is consistently
and habitually practised, and, if possible, from ground
where rabbits are not too numerous. In selecting the
rabbits, bucks should preponderate. In the majority
of cases it is easy enough to arrange an interchange of
blood. For this, it is of course necessary that the
health of one's own stock should be above suspicion.

250 THE KEEPERS BOOK

The unenclosed burrows with which we are now
dealing are, in the main, used for the purposes of
ferreting, and it will be the duty of the keeper to see
that there are convenient arrangements made for the
purposes of the guns. It is often necessary to do a
little clearing in the vicinity of rabbit-burrows, especi-
ally when there is much undergrowth. When the
burrows are in thick wooded cover, rides may be made
— not only the wide-open rides as used in pheasant
coverts, but smaller ones not open to the sky. Rides
should also be made on bracken ground and on the
heather land that is used for rabbit-shooting. In
the latter case the rides are most useful, for where
the heather is thick, old, and long, there is little or no
chance for the gun to spot his rabbit, until perhaps he
sees it disappearing over the edge of a knoll, or into
a hole, a hundred yards away. If the heather has
been well attended to, and this is very exceptional on
land that is near to the lodge and is used primarily as
rabbit-ground, the rides are not so absolutely necessary,
and sporting shots might prefer to take their chances
without their aid.

It is often desired to lay down stock on ground
that is at present untenanted by rabbits. When this
is done outside a warren and chiefly for the purposes
of ferreting, suitable ground will of course be chosen;
— that is to say, ground which combines the necessities
of food and good opportunities for shooting. This
ground should be temporarily closed in by wire fencing,

THE RABBIT 251

and should be scooped out here and there to assist the
rabbit in the process of burrowing. After the ground
has been sufficiently burrowed the fencing may be
removed.

The Warren

A warren may be an extensive stretch of ground
a quarter of a mile or more in length, or may
simply be a three-acred field. In the former case,
no change of venue is necessary ; in the latter, it is
usual to change it from time to time, say once every
five or six years. The ideal warren must be well
drained, well supplied with food, and well enclosed.
The soil should be sandy and porous and free from the
possibilities of flooding. Good natural warrens stretch
along the banks of rivers, but have a considerable
elevation above high-water mark, and slope gently
upwards towards the pheasant covert, which stretches
in almost parallel lines with the windings of the river,
and are enclosed at each end, either by natural fences,
protected by wire-netting, or simply by this netting
erected on wooden palings. A good warren of this
type has varieties of cover, bracken, broom and gorse,
heather and hussocks of grass, and here and there small
juniper trees, and varieties of shrubbery. But although
such a warren is described as a natural one, it is liable
to the same laws as the ones we may term "artificial."
The extinction of vermin must be thoroughly looked

252 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

to, the cover must be regularly supervised, wiring must
be carefully examined, draining carried out, and, if
necessary, lime occasionally scattered to counteract
the fouling of the ground, overcrowding avoided, and
evidences of disease carefully noted.

Where no such natural warren exists, and it is pro-
posed to construct one, it would be to the advantage
of a keeper if he visited some well-known warren, and
took into view the natural conditions which he pro-
poses to imitate. In selecting his ground, he should
keep in view the following points: — (i) The lie of
the land ; (2) the condition of the soil ; and (3) the
capacity for cover. The land chosen should in no case
be on clay soil or be rocky ground. Sandy soil is the
best, although peaty ground is not to be sneered at.
The place chosen should be fairly high, and of an un-
dulating nature. Great trouble will be saved if ground
can be found which has been already well burrowed,
so that the new stock laid down may soon find a home.
Where these burrows do not exist, the keeper and his
underlings must assist nature by some preliminary
digging, as we have described before. Where nothing
but a clay soil can be obtained, artificial mounds may
be constructed of a looser and more porous earth, sown
with grain seeds, and containing holes which can be
readily converted into burrows. An excellent form
of warren can be made by simply enclosing a piece
of moorland southern exposure where the heather is
not too rank, and which already contains rabbit

THE RABBIT 253

burrows, and a certain amount of isolated trees and
shrubbery. This land, if well cut with rides, is both
excellent feeding and shooting-ground. 1 1 is important
that the burrows be distributed pretty evenly and
generally in the warren. Where it is found that rabbits
have collected in one area to the exclusion of others,
and there is a danger of an insufficient food supply, it
might be as well to construct temporary enclosures
within the warren, in which the rabbits may be placed,
and these enclosures kept up till such a time as burrow-
ing is complete. Great care is necessary in regard to
the cover available. It may be necessary to scatter
fern or gorse seed, or even to plant or transplant trees
and bushes. Most good warrens have, here and there,
large flat heaps of the branches of trees. These afford
excellent cover, and are especially to be recommended
when the warren is used for shootingpurposes. Where
the warren is a permanent one, or where there is a
suspicion that temporary ground has become stale and
tainted, some addition to the natural food must be made.
That great authority, Mr. Lloyd Price, recommends
that portions of the ground should be fenced with wire-
netting, and crops of clover, oats, or beans grown
within the enclosures. When these have been carried,
or partly so, the wire-netting may be removed and the
rabbits allowed access to this reserved ground. By
changing the position of these plots, the rabbits get
access periodically to fresh, untainted ground, and
thrive accordingly. During the winter it is always

254 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

wise to give the rabbits artificial food by scattering
corn and good hay here and there over the warren.
Some authorities recommend swedes, but these are
better avoided, for, although they agree with some
rabbits when they are associated with corn and
hay, they are apt to produce intestinal and other
troubles.

It may be as well to quote a more elaborate, yet
simple enough, method mentioned by Mr. Lloyd Price,
for constructing a warren (Encyclopedia of Sport):
" Find a field or rough open space, either partially or
wholly surrounded by woods, in which rabbits live and
breed. Let this be walled round, and let holes be made
in the wall at regular intervals, and closed by wooden
or iron shutters at will. Encourage the rabbits to feed
in your walled-in ground. Of course the beasts soon
get quite at home in your enclosure. A night or two
before you shoot, shut down the shutters and the thing
is done. An improvement would be to make the shutters
of light iron bars, to swing outwards from the cover
into the preserve shambles, or whatever we choose to
designate the field of slaughter ; the rabbits would soon
learn to use these, and as the gratings would swing back
of themselves, preventing the return of the tenants, your
enclosure would soon fill itself without any particular
attention on the part of the keeper. Care must be taken,
however, not to leave the huge trap too long without
emptying, or else to supply plenty of food inside, or the
rabbits would starve." It is perhaps as well to impress

THE RABBIT 255

upon the keeper that great care must be taken with the
fencing. This must be thoroughly carried out at the
beginning, and examined carefully afterwards, in case
any destruction may have been made by sheep or other
animal pasturing in ground approximate to the warren.
A single or a double strand of barbed wire outside of
the warren fence is useful to prevent such inroads. Wire-
netting must, of course, be turned over both top and
bottom, for rabbits are good climbers. It might be as
well that a single barbed wire be stretched across the
curve at the top. The points at which the wire-netting
is turned over must be strengthened by fairly thick wire,
to prevent bending.

In summarising the facts to be remembered by
the keeper for the prosperity of his warren, we might
tabulate the following, which must receive his earnest
attention : —

(1) The proper food-supply of the warren. Where

cut hay is supplied, care must be taken that
it is kept dry and healthy by some form of
covering.

( 2 ) Thecarefulandhabitualrestockingof the ground.

This must be done annually, with healthy
rabbits from other warrens, as rabbits breed
rapidly. Kill down stock in winter hard,
especially the ones that lay out, these being
generally the weak ones expelled from the
burrow by the stronger does and bucks, who
keep possession of the stronghold, these being

256 THE KEEPERS BOOK

useful for breeding healthy big stock. As
rabbits are subject to interbreeding and re-
maining about the same burrow, ferreting is
useful in order to change the habitat and en-
courage interchange of blood.

(3) Proper fencing.

(4) The elimination of vermin.

(5) Draining, if necessary.

(6) The occasional scattering of lime and salt to

prevent fouling.

(7) Avoidance of overstocking. In a case where

a warren is used for profit, about one hundred
rabbits to the acre is a good average, but only
about ten to the acre where it is used for
shooting purposes.

Where a warren is small, great pains must be taken
with the care of the ground. If the venue of the warren
be not changed, careful liming and artificial feeding must
be had recourse to. It may be even dressed with some
phosphatic and lime mixture, of which, perhaps, dis-
solved bones is the best. But it is strongly to be
recommended in the case of small warrens, that the
venue should be changed every five or six years, so
as to secure new feeding-ground and to give the old
ground a chance of recovering its food capacity and
its healthy condition.

Shooting the Warren
The main point to be observed in this connection

THE RABBIT 257

is to assert, once and for all, that on no account must
ferreting be used for making the rabbits lie out. Gas-
tar is the only thing to use. Let every hole be blocked
about five days before the shoot, and let the thrown-up
earth be sprinkled with the tar. Next day go round the
holes again, and block as before. Do this every day
till the time of the shoot, and the process is complete.
Your whole stock is in the warren, eating in the open,
or lying among the bracken or round the foot of trees,
or under the heaps of faggots. Let this method be
tested once, and such processes as ferreting, smoking,
and the like will pass into the limbo of archaic ignorance.

With regard to a warren shoot, it is only necessary
to remind the beaters that they must prod, and not beat
out the rabbits. Every foot of the ground must be
carefully probed, faggots must be thoroughly over-
turned and explored, dogs must be kept well leashed
and brought up to the line. There must be no stragglers.
The whole party of guns and beaters should move across
the warren like a battalion of infantry advancing in line.
There must be no dangerous rushes forward by beaters
or dogs.

Never attempt to suggest that rabbits be driven to
the guns. It is simply slaughter and not sport, as the
wretched creatures come crawling up to the guns, and
the shooter soon tires, or his guns get so hot that he
has to lay them down. Walking in line over a rough
grass field after rabbits have been bolted is sport, but
driving to the guns is not.
17

258 THE KEEPERS BOOK

Ferrets and Ferreting

The main point to be remembered by the keeper is
that ferrets are as liable to disease from bad hygienic
surroundings as he is himself. Accordingly, the ferret
should be assured of cleanliness, fresh air, and good
food. The days of dirty, badly-ventilated boxes ought
to be at an end, and as much care should be taken of
the ferrret-runs and hutches as of the kennels. Ferrets
must therefore be allowed plenty of pure air and sun-
shine. To secure this, there must be connected to their
sleeping-saloons a sufficient open-air run, which should
be on dry, porous, well-drained soil. It is best that
these runs should be tiled over, so that they may be
well sluiced with permanganate of potash solution,
sanitas, or other antiseptic fluid. It is easy to arrange
these tiles so as to secure sufficient drainage. The
sides of the run should be high enough to prevent the
ferrets escaping, yet not too high to interfere with
the easy entrance of the keeper for cleaning and other
purposes.

The hutch, which is pierced with holes for the proper
exit and entrance of the ferrets to and from the runs,
may be a box, the top and sides of which lift bodily from
the ground. In may cases the box consists of but one
department, but recent improvements are much more
elaborate, and even go so far as to secure three com-
partments— one for sleeping purposes, one for feeding,
and one for the calls of nature. Where such an arrange-

THE RABBIT 259

ment exists it is as well that each compartment should
have an easily removable "tray, "so that it is not necessary
to disturb the whole flooring for the purposes of clean-
ing, and so that the ferrets may be confined in one com-
partment whilst the other two are being cleaned. This
cleaning must be carried out once in every twenty-four
hours, and must be thorough. The runs need not
be cleaned so often, but require careful inspection.
Either sand or sawdust may be used for the floors of
the trays.

" The food of the adult ferret consists in the main
of bread and milk, or porridge or rice, but on no account
should it be too sloppy. Meat is given occasionally.
It must be fresh, and may consist of liver of deer, mice,
rats, birds, or a piece of freshly killed and warm
rabbit. This should be tied to a staple with a bit
of string to prevent the ferrets from dragging it into
their sleeping-place, and thus soiling the bedding "
(Harting).'

Ferrets should not be fed too often ; once in twenty-
four hours is all that is necessary.

Working. — Ferrets should never be carried in a bag,
but always in a ferret-box, and on being brought home
should always have their feet washed. It is always
best, where possible, to have at least two keepers out
while ferreting. If one ferret sticks, the guns may pro-
ceed to the next burrow, while the second keeper waits

1 Encyclopedia of Sport. See also his volume on Rabbits, in Fur,
Feather, and Fin Series.

260 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

till the ''stuck" ferret comes to the surface. If this does
not happen after some time has passed, a dead rabbit
should be laid at the mouth of one of the holes ; if this
does not succeed, the rabbit should be disembowelled
and the entrails laid at the mouth of the hole, or a
cartridge may be emptied of its shot and fired into the
burrow. If all these plans fail, the ferret may be dug
out, or nets or harmless traps may be set at several of
the holes.

Neither the "guns " nor the keeper should be seen
by the working ferret. They should, if possible, stand
down wind and out of sight. We hold firmly that a
ferret should never be muzzled, and seldom coped. A
rabbit is driven to the surface better by a ferret that is
free, and a coped ferret is only capable of worrying, not
killing.

Diseases of Ferrets. — The commonest complaint is
sweats, with symptoms of abnormal temperature, thirst,
running from eyes and nose, loss of appetite, and dul-
ness. The affected ferret should be isolated, and bathed
in some antiseptic fluid, as mild boracic acid and water,
or permanganate of potash. It should be well dried and
placed in a clean, fresh, dry, and warm hutch. The
animal should be fed on slops — fresh warm milk, arrow-
root, soup, and similar foods. Whatever is used, there
should be a very gradual addition of solid food to the
diet as the ferret improves. A good thing is a newly
killed sparrow or other small bird, given a piece at a
time sprinkled with a pinch of sulphur, once in twenty-

26o •[£ KE*

'estothesurfac 'oes

ome time has passed, a c Sbit

• he mouth of one of the holes , if this

ed, the rabbit should be di !led

trails laid at the mouth of the

can may be emptied of its shot and fired into the

burrow. If all these plans fail, the ferret may be dug
out, 0r nets or harmless traps may be set at several of
the holes.

Neither the " guns " nor the keeper should be seen
by the working ferret. They should, if possible, stand
down wind and out of sight We hold firmly that a
ferret should never be muzzled, and seldom coped. A
rabbit is driven to the surface better by a ferret that is
free, and a coped ferret is only capable of worrying, not
killing.

at is

ness. ; tiled

in some antiseptic fluid, as mild borac aer,

or permanganate of potash. It should be well dried and
placed in a clean, fresh, dry, and warm hutch. The
animal should be fed on slops — fresh warm milk, arrow-
root, soup, and similar foods. Whatever is used, tl
should be a very gradual addition of solid f
diet as the ferret improves. A good thing
killed or other small bird, give

time sprin: pinch of sulphur, o

THE RABBIT 261

four hours. All discharges should be carefully washed
from eyes and nose, and the latter anointed with
vaseline.

Foot-rot — Therapeutics. — Creosote or nitrate of
mercury ointment applied once a day.

Worms. — Areca-nut or Filix-mas, followed by
castor-oil.

Eczema. — Cleanliness and change of hutch, washing
with antiseptic fluid, careful drying, and the use of
nitrate of zinc lotion.

Itch. — Some form of mild sulphur ointment.

Keeping down the Rabbit

The rabbit may be kept down by — ( i ) Shooting,
(2) ferreting and shooting, (3) catching by a pitfall,
(4) trapping, (5) snaring, and (6) netting. Of the last
four methods there are endless modifications, and it will
be found that most keepers have their own pet method,
from which they are very loath to depart. As long as
the method is legal, effective, comparatively painless,
and economic, nothing can be said in its disparagement.
The legality is of importance, for no one can use a
spring trap to catch rabbits except (a) in the mouth
of a burrow, and (b) unless the rabbits are taken by
an owner occupying his own land. Many methods
employed to take rabbits are completely ineffective, and
should be immediately disregarded. Failure often re-
sults from the keeper leaving the traps exposed to view.
Unless soil is sprinkled over them to hide them from

262 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

the keen sight of the rabbit, they will be as useless as a
piece of dead iron. Another cause of the ineffectiveness
of a snare or trap is the taint of anything that has come
from human contact. The smell of man, dog, powder,
rabbit, game, hanging around a trap, is a handicap that
can only point to failure, therefore the keeper must see
that his hands are perfectly clean before he sets his trap,
and that the latter does not come in contact with his
clothes. Mr. Harting recommends that after the hands
have been well washed in soap and water, they should
be rubbed with mould scraped up near the place where
the snare is to be set. " When it is time to put the
wire into shape, and smooth out any bends or kinks in
it, this should be done, not with the bare finger and
thumb, but with a bit of wash-leather between them.
It is easily carried in the waistcoat pocket, and a snare
rubbed down with this will be found to run as smoothly
as possible when touched by a rabbit. Moreover, this
intercepts any scent from the bare hand. To secure the
effectiveness of snares, they should beset in the morning.
The evening dews are apt to preserve the scents of the
keeper."

The " humanitarian " side of the question must not
be neglected. Any trap or snare that catches a rabbit
and causes it needless suffering and a long and painful
death, must be avoided.

It will be to the advantage of the keeper to be
cognisant of the best traps and snares that have been
recommended by authorities on the subject. Their

THE RABBIT 263

modification is endless, and from a description of some
twenty or thirty, we select three or four which appear
to us to meet the requirements of the keeper in the most
effective, the most painless, and the most economic
way.

(1) CruickshanK s Trap. — This, the latest of all
traps, is manufactured by Mr. A. A. Cruickshank,
Craighall Warehouse, Glasgow. The body of the trap
is exactly the same in form as that of the ordinary
rabbit trap. It is of Dorset type, fitted with brass
mounts. It is lighter than all other traps we have
handled. The spring distinguishes it markedly from
other traps. It is made of fine steel, and each spring
is constructed so as to fit any trap, and can be detached
or attached by hand without a tool. The spring
does not need a railway rail for a base to prevent
buckling, as the entire pressure on removal of load
passes right through the spring into the air on
account of the loose socket attachment. In addition
to this, as the spring terminals come close together
when set, the spring, whenever the plate is touched,
starts off more readily than in other types. The
danger of a broken lever during frost is largely if not
altogether removed by the coil spring. Experience
has shown that this is altogether an excellent form
of trap, and being of excellent workmanship, light,
strong, effective, and durable, is certain to become
popular.

(2) Burgess' Spring Trap. — This is recommended

264 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

by Mr. Carnegie in his volume on Trapping, who ap-
pends to his recommendation this clear description of its
qualities : "The spring is the most important part of the
trap, is thoroughly well tempered and strong, but, never-
theless, easily pressed down when the trap is set. The
flap and catch and other important parts in which most
makers fail are of copper, and do not wear away like
iron, nor do they rust, which would clog the trap and
prevent it acting. The plate is square, with the four
corners taken off, and is of zinc, being so fitted as to be
level with the jaws when set. These latter are thick
and rounded, the teeth fitting one into another, though
not closely, a space of one-eighth of an inch being left
between. The teeth should on no account be sharp or
pointed, as their being so tends to break the leg and cut
the sinews, thus liberating the rabbit ; nor should the
teeth be continued round the turn of the jaw. ... In
order to prevent the rabbit, when caught, drawing the
trap away, the back piece of the gin is furnished with a
hole at the end, through which a chain about a foot long
is attached by means of an S hook. The chain should
have about eight links, with a swivel in the middle,
and a ring of one and a quarter inch diameter at the end.
It is purchasable apart from the trap, and should
be well tested, as the weakness will be found where
least looked for, viz. in the swivel, and this should
always be examined. The ring is for a stake, which
is driven to hold the trap. The best wood for this
is ash, which should be cut in lengths of eighteen

THE RABBIT 265

inches, and split, then rounded off to the required size,
fitted tightly to the ring, driven on to within one and a
half inch from the top, and be overlapped by this part,
which ought to be left unrounded as far as the ring

comes."

(3) Brailsford Trap. — This is a trap to catch rabbits
alive, and is manufactured by Messrs. Arlingstall & Co.,
Warrington. The following description is taken from
The Field, being an extract from a letter from Colonel
Butler, of Brekenham Park, Suffolk : " It consists of
a wire cage, very strongly made and open at both ends,
the door being kept up by a simple method of setting.
There is a treadle made, and as soon as that is touched
the doors close and the victim is imprisoned. ... In
setting them in runs, under shelving banks, or by the
side of wire-netting, I usually make wings at each end
of fir boughs, or something of that kind, to guide the
animal in ; but when set at drains or holes, it is only
necessary to make a wing at the end farthest from the
hole, the trap at the other end fitting close up to the
entrance of the drain." This trap, it may be added, is
extremely useful not only for catching rabbits, but all
forms of vermin.

(4) Mr. Lloyd Price s Snare} — " Select the narrow-
est part of a frequented run, one well covered with
herbage, if possible, to conceal the apparatus, either on
the flat, or, better still, on the side of a hill. Drive the
big peg firmly into the ground at the side of the run, let

1 Encyclopedia of Sport.

266 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

this be well hidden by the grass, heather, or what not ;
then give a hitch or bend to the centre of the wire to hold
the same in a loop just four inches in diameter. Next,
stick the carrying peg in the ground to hold the loop
(which should just easily go round your closed fist) at
an acute angle to the run, also in the grass at the side,
or otherwise concealed, four inches from the ground, and
with the runner of the noose on the low side, so that the
loop may run easily along the wire. Properly set, the
catchloop should stand up at right angles, or nearly so,
from the support peg, elevated above the surplus wire.
If the latter be at the top, the noose will not run so
freely ; this can advantageously be hidden with bits of
cut grass, leaves, etc., as also may the string which con-
nects the wire with the holding peg."

Netting may be practised either by the small bag
net attached outside a rabbit-hole, or by the long net.
The first is used, of course, with a ferret. The long
net is familiar and needs no description. It is used
outside covers and is worked at night.

Poaching the Rabbit

The planting of thorns near to rabbit runs is of value
in counteracting net-poaching. Where the long net is
used by poachers or farmers, it is as well for the keepers
to forestall them by arranging a shoot in this method :
Have a shoot with the long net and let the rabbits away,
then a second shoot on the same principle, and it will be

THE RABBIT 267

found that fewer rabbits appear. The third shoot can
be safely left to the poachers or farmers, for they will
get nothing.

Note. — The keeper should never forget that it is
inadvisable to put fur and feather into the same
game-bag or pannier. He should also remember
to empty the bladder of the rabbit immediately it
is picked up.

NOTES

CHAPTER XIII
THE PHEASANT

THE science of rearing and "showing" pheasants has
produced such an extensive literature, and has become
such an elaborate affair, that it is absolutely impossible
for such a book as this to attempt to deal with the ques-
tion in any but a summary way. To enter into the de-
tails of " showing" pheasants alone would require the
whole of this book and more, and we can only repeat
what we said when dealing with grouse-driving — that
every man who desires to reach to any perfection in the
art and science of the matter must have recourse to the
books of the great authorities. I n the rearing, showing,
and shooting of pheasants, more than in any other branch
of sport, it is advisable that a small reference library be
at the command of the head-keeper, and it is for the
master to see that advantage is taken of the privileges
of this literature. Although we have indicated more
than once the leading writers on sport, it may not be out
of place here to enumerate the books of reference which
we have found most useful in our study of pheasants.

(1) Experience — by far the best book.

(2) The Encyclopedia of Sport.

369

270 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

(3) Shooting, by Lord Walsingham and Sir R.

Payne Gallwey (Badminton Library).

(4) The Pheasant, by A. Stuart Wortley and

others (Fur, Feather, and Fin Series).

(5) Practical Game Preserving, by W. Carnegie.

(6) Sport, by W. Bromley Davenport.

( 7 ) The Gamekeeper at Home, by Richard J efferies.

(8) Pheasants, by W. B. Tegetmeier.

(9) Letters to Young Shooters, by Sir R. Payne

Gallwey.

(10) Shooting, by Horace Hutchinson and others,
(n) The Forester, by Brown and Nisbet.

(12) Sport in the Highlands and Lowlands of Scot-

land, by Tom Speedy.

(13) Birds of Norfolk, by Henry Stevenson.
With these at his command, no keeper can say that

he has not heard the best words on the subject, and will
hardly require the more or less superficial study which
we propose to make.

On no subject of sport is there less room for being
dogmatic than on the rearing of pheasants. Experi-
ence is the best teacher, and methods vary according to
the climate, position, particular breed of birds, and many
other circumstances, which alter methods in different
localities. The one subject which must be insisted
upon, and on which there is no difference of opinion, is
« cleanliness, pure water, pure food, and above all that the
| ground on which the pheasants are reared must be clean,
\ and not overstocked with chicks. Coops should be

THE PHEASANT 271

moved daily, and the same field should never be used
for rearing two years in succession.

The keepers' duties in relation to the pheasant differ
enormously. They may be connected with a shooting
in which the pheasant is only regarded as part of a mixed
bag, or they may be concerned with rearing and " show-
ing " on an elaborate scale. It is in the latter case that
the keeper's knowledge of the literature of the subject
will be of importance. In the former case, where he is
only possibly concerned with a few head of wild birds,
he will have little to learn, and there will be small need
of elaborate studies in rearing and ' ' showing. " In these
cases his beating will be simpler than the beating of
partridges, and he will only have to bear in mind the
general rule affecting flanks and stops. But it is alto-
gether a different matter when covert shooting is con-
ducted on a scale of great elaboration.

Pheasant- Rearing

Bearing in mind what we have already said as to the
impossibility of dealing with the question at any length,
let us take a view of the main points that have to be
taken into consideration.

(i) There are several ways advocated of dealing
with the question of the proper supply of eggs for the
next year's sport: — (a) In some estates the procedure
is simply to attract the hens that are left after the shoot-
ing is over, by a little judicious feeding, and to allow
breeding to take place in a semi-wild condition, and then

272 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

simply to collect the eggs that are laid, (b) Another
plan is to utilise a particular covert as the breeding-
ground ; this covert only being protected in the sense
that a certain amount of wire fencing surrounds it, other-
wise there is no penning nor other form of artificial en-
closure, (c) A third and more general way is to collect
a certain number of hens before the shooting begins, and
either enclose them in the kind of covert mentioned last
or in enclosed pens, (d) A mod ification of this is to leave
the collection of the hens till the shooting is over. The
great objection to the latter practice is that some of the
hens may have been " peppered " by shot, and may have
received injuries to the maternal organs. There is also
another point in favour of taking hens before the shooting
begins. By so doing, one is rid of the incessant fear
that too many hens will be killed, and that there will not
be enough left for the mews.

Whether it be required to secure hens for the mews
or not, every keeper should ascertain the condition of
his stock as soon as the shooting season is over. This
is easily done by a little regular feeding. If there be
too many cocks, he may exchange them for hens with
a neighbouring keeper, and vice versa. If this practice
be not convenient or possible, the keeper should indicate
to his master the fact of this superabundance, and if a
large number of hens are not to be procured to counter-
act this disproportion, some more cocks should be killed.

But whether there be disproportion or not, the
general game law as to the value of fresh blood must

THE PHEASANT 273

be remembered, and as much care taken in procuring
pure breeds as in the case of rabbits or partridges.
Crossed breeds or weaklings should on no account be
introduced. Lord Walsingham supports the contention
that " there is no better breed than the true Phaseanus
Colchicus, commonly known as the old-fashioned dark
variety without a white ring on the neck. These are
free layers and good mothers — straying less from home
than the paler plumaged varieties more recently intro-
duced. They are quite as hardy, and fly at least equally
as well. There are few places in England now where
some traces of a cross with P. Torquatas, the ring-necked
Chinese bird, are not to be met with, but, in the opinion
of the writer, the cross-bred bird is not so worthy to be
encouraged and propagated as are those of the old, dark,
pure breed." The exchange of birds and eggs should
be frequent — if possible, of an annual occurrence.

If the hen birds are to be kept in mews instead of
being allowed to breed in coverts, more cocks should be
supplied than in the more natural state. There should
never be more than six hens to each cock in the mews,
and there should be every facility for the wild cocks to
get to the enclosed hens. The mews, therefore, should
not be shut in at the top. In constructing the mews,
the main point to be remembered is that they should be
absolutely closed in for at least 3 ft. from the ground,
so that the pheasants may be free from disturbance and
annoyance from without. The birds should have plenty

of space, air, and light, and the ground on which the
18

2/4 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

mews are constructed should have a light, porous soil.
If the latter condition be not obtainable the ground
should be dusted with sand and lime. Pens are con-
structed either as separate domestic establishments, con-
taining one cock to several hens, or are made to hold as
many birds as one requires, the proportion of cocks and
hens being maintained as in the small pen. Half an acre
of ground accommodates about forty hens. I f the pens
are constructed in covert, the place chosen should have
plenty of good undergrowth ; if they are placed in the
open the ground should be planted with shrubs of varied
kinds. Spruce and privet are generally recommended.
In feeding the birds in the mews, care should be
taken that this is always done by the same person. He
should on each occasion be dressed in the same type
of clothing. No strangers should be admitted, and
whether feedingthehens in mews or covert, ortheyoung
broods at a later period, there must be no attempt to
call the birds by whistling to them when about to dis-
tribute the food. This bad habit tends to domesticate
the birds to a marked degree. 1 1 is to be remembered at
this point that if open coverts are used, on no account
must birds be put into coverts in which they will not
naturally stay. Select a covert which they naturally
draw to and stray to. The general law that it is the
duty of the keeper to assist, and not to thwart, the in-
stinct of the bird must be observed. It will be found
thatpheasants naturally select covertswhich haveplenty
of light, plenty of shelter, that are dry and warm, and

THE PHEASANT 275

have well-drained, porous soil, and which face to the
south or south-west. This fact will lead the keeper to
understand that he must on no account select ground
which is cold or damp, which is exposed to the north or
the east, and which is dark and dreary. The law which
applies to pheasantries also applies to the ground on
which the coops are placed.

The food of the penned hens should be of soft con-
sistency— the ordinary poultry food (barley-meal and
biscuit-meal) in the morning, and dry mixed grain in the
afternoon. Some green food should be given occasion-
ally. All food, whether for old birds or for young, should
be mixed in the morning. On no account should the
keeper perform this duty at nighttime. Stale food is a
marked cause of disease. Too much maize should not
be used, it makes the birds heavy, yellow-fleshed, and
not agreeable to eat — vary feeding with light barley and
oats and very little maize.

Great care should be taken that the ground of the
pheasantries (and likewise the ground on which the
coops are placed) is free from vermin, and is not allowed
to stale. I n the case of the pens and mews, these should
bepurifiedbyasprinklingof lime and sand, and if feasible
the ground should be changed every few years. Stale
ground is an important cause of mortality. Some
authorities recommend that powdered oyster shells
be placed in every pen.

About the beginning of April the keeper begins to
collect his eggs, and he will continue to do so for about

276 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

a month, and he can turn out his penned birds by the
middle of June. By that time he will have his foster-
mothers ready. Game-hens are the best, and of these the
black-red game-hen is to be preferred above others. If
these are not to be obtained, small hens should be selected,
of which buff Orpingtons are probably the best mothers.
They should all be strong birds, absolutely free from
disease. He should carefully retain the eggs of these
hens for some eight or ten weeks before the pheasant
hatching season, for the purposes of food for the
pheasant chicks. The roosting of the game-hens is of
importance, care being taken of them as consistently as
of the pheasants. The sitting hens must be allowed an
early morning run on the wet grass, so that they may
damp their breast feathers. This markedly assists in
the hatching process. Some authorities recommend
that where the hens are kept in closed yards the eggs
should be sprinkled with tepid water at the time of the
morning meal.

In collecting the eggs it is wise for the keeper to mix
some "wild" eggs, and some purchased or exchanged
eggs, with the ones collected in the pens. All nests that
have been built in exposed or dangerous places should
be denuded of all their eggs except one or two. Leav-
ing the latter is a stimulus to the wild bird to go on
laying. Otherwise she would as a rule desert her nest.
Of course when the nests are left they should be care-
fully watched.

Suitable ground for the coops having been selected,

THE PHEASANT 277

the eggs are put under the game-hens, whose nests
should consist of a square of dry sod or turf. On no
account must the ground have been used the previous
year. Ground for coops should be changed every season.
Lime, gravel, and sand should be freely scattered about,
and a liberal supply of cover in the shape of fir branches
be placed at intervals, to afford temporary shelter to the
chicks from the inroads of their enemies. The presence
of the " cuckoo-spittle " should be noted. It contains
an insect which is deadly poison to the young chick.
One acre is sufficient for a hundred birds. The sitting
hen should not be confined to the coop. This method
of confinement, being a severe tax upon the nature of
the bird, is unnecessarily cruel. Not only is this so,
but the method deprives the chicks of their natural pro-
tector, and prevents the hen from cleaning and dusting
itself, with the result that it becomes infested with vermin,
which are conveyed to the chicks. It should be tethered
with a cord about a yard and a half long. This allows
sufficient room for the hen to move about and to perch
on the top of the coop. When vermin approach, the
hen is able to warn the chicks by her cackle, and they
have a chance of running under her wings for protec-
tion. The hen must, of course, be shut into the coop
at night time. When an incubator is used, the eggs are
removed from the game-hen as soon as they begin to
chip and are placed in the incubator, and when hatched
the chicks are removed to the tray above. All the eggs
must never be removed from the nests at the same

278 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

time. In putting back the chicks there is no need to
select special chicks for special hens. Chicks must never
be let out very early if there is frost or heavy dew on
the grass. Remember, covers should be kept quiet, or
birds will leave them ; no stray dogs, or shooting rabbits
round covers at evening ; no broken fences to permit
of cattle straying in them. Keepers on their rounds
need not leave the rides for fear of disturbing the game.
Encourage plenty of undergrowth, wild berries, and
hazel for natural food in coverts. Where there are none,
transplant in autumn or spring. How many keepers
trouble about this ?

Mr. Carnegie's Table of Food for Young Pheasants.
See opposite page.

Other authorities recommend hard - boiled eggs
passed through a sieve with a little specially prepared
biscuit-meal or oatmeal, as the food of the young birds.
No water should be given at any time. The moist food
supplies enough. No food should be given to the chicks
for the first twelve hours after hatching. A good supply
of insect food, as in the case of young partridges, is
of great benefit, and when this is not obtainable maggots
maybe given, These may be obtained from the bodies
of dead crows.

But whatever plan of feeding is adopted — and the
variations are too elaborate for us to dwell upon them
in detail — war should be severely waged against the
habitual extravagance connected with pheasant-feeding.
Overfeeding and waste are rampant in most places

THE PHEASANT

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where pheasants are reared. Most birds get 40 per
cent, more food than is necessary, and the keeper must
combine a sense of responsibility with his judgment
in discovering the right mean. No encouragement
should be given to the practice of habitually buying
"patent" foods. The keeper should make and prepare
his own food.

When the young pheasants are old enough the coops
and chicks are removed to the covers.

Poaching the Pheasant

Watching must be carefully carried out by night
and by day, and the possible depredations by foxes and
poachers dealt with. If trespassers or night poachers
are suspected in any covert, threads should be stretched
in the evening across any likely paths of access, twelve
inches or so from the ground. Their condition in the
morning will warn the keeper as to the presence of
poachers, and a careful look-out must be kept for the
next few nights.

Alarm guns, bells, etc., may also be used. Arti-
ficial pheasants nailed to the branches of trees afford a
good plan of thwarting the poacher.

A strict look-out should be kept for any suspicious
carts that may be loitering about the ground. It is as
well that the keeper should gallop on horseback round
the roads and over the estate every evening.

Depredations by foxes or dogs during pheasant-
rearing can be frustrated by stretching several lengths

THE PHEASANT 281

of string, with small bells hung on to them at intervals,
about nine inches from the ground, all round the
approaches to the coops. The fox is sure to scent a
trap and clear off. If the string is soaked in carbolic,
renardine, tar, or some other high-smelling liquid, so
much the better. In hunting districts, where foxes are
plentiful, this plan is very necessary, and is thor-
oughly efficacious.

An excellent plan to trip up poachers is to have
wire instead of string stretched across all approaches
to the rearing-ground. Another practice is to surround
the coops with a stout wire, and to attach to it one or
more dogs, so that each dog has a free range over a
considerable stretch of ground.

On some estates one of the night watchers carries
a horn, and blows on it every quarter of an hour or so,
for the purpose of driving off foxes.

It is very wise for the keeper to occasionally go
round the hedgerows with a spaniel and drive in
strayed birds.

Shooting the Pheasant

The most important duty of the keeper on the
morning of a shoot is to have his beaters out early, and
drive in all the surrounding country so as to have the
birds in the coverts, and, as he does this, he should
have a sufficient number of boys or men carrying a
yellow flag to act as stops. These boys should be pro-
vided with a good lunch, as they may have a long wait,

282 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

and cannot be expected to remain at their post unless
they are fed. Stops should be left at all the likely places
where the birds are likely to leave the covert. They
should carry yellow flags so that their position may be
known, and they may join the line of beaters when
these come up. Without this, the day's shoot will
be an absolute failure, and the birds cannot be expected
to be found in the coverts. It is better that they should
be instructed to keep absolutely quiet. A very occa-
sional tap with the stick when the birds are making for
the open should suffice to keep them back. I f the coverts
are small, it will be sufficient if the stops show themselves
and make no noise whatever. All outlying woods should
be driven in to the main coverts where the birds are to
be flushed. A large number of stops are necessary, and
they should be in no way grudged, as they are the most
important essential to a successful day's shooting. In
a well-known detached covert in Lincolnshire, after
the birds are driven in, the wood is practically stopped
all round ; it takes two hours to drive the maze and
surrounding coverts into this wood. Besides the guns
over which the birds are to be driven there should
always be two placed behind the beaters to get those
that go back.

There are four cardinal principles in the beating
of pheasants to the guns which must be carefully im-
printed on the memory of every keeper —

(a) Push pheasants as far as possible on their feet
and bring them back on their wings ;

THE PHEASANT 283

(b) Drive pheasants on their feet away from home

and then flush them homewards ;

(c) Flush pheasants at a considerable distance from

the guns ;

(cf) Flush pheasants from a higher ground than that
on which the guns are placed. The keeper
who attempts to drive the birds against a
gale of wind should be conveyed at once to
the nearest lunatic asylum.

Now these cardinal principles are enumerated on the
understanding that the keeper is expected " to show "
his pheasants in the best way possible. That is, he
is to bring them to the guns flying high and fast ; he
is not to present a number of " flapdoodlers " and low-
flying birds. The latter may please certain people
who are quite satisfied if they bring the thing they aim
at to the ground, but it is not sport. The great boast
of every keeper should be that his birds fly higher than
most and require some " stopping." Accordingly let
him remember that to produce such a result he must
do something more elaborate than send his beaters
in at one end of a covert and march them in a straight
line to the other. He must, in fact, push his pheasants
on their feet to a flushing-point and then allow " the
trouble" to begin. In saying as much, it will of
course be at once recognised that this can only be
done by careful arrangement of covert, beaters, stops,
and guns, and will require considerable study and
patience.

284 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

Now to obtain the desired result on the cardinal
and classical principles we have summarised, he must
first think of the flushing-point, which may be —

(a) A detached piece of covert like the famous

Scarborough clump at Holkham ;

(b) A specially planted piece of covert at one of

the corners of the main coverts ;

(c) A turnip-field some little distance from the

main covert.

The Scarborough clump at Holkham produces
such excellent results that the practice followed there
is to be recommended to the consideration of all keepers,
and in following the Holkham methods he should
remember certain important rules —

(a) The detached covert must not be larger than

the main covert ;

(b) The end of the main covert must be thinly

planted and must not be fenced in ; if it is
fenced there must be an open space immedi-
ately in front of it.

(c) The undergrowth in the detached clump must

be good, and not hollow at the bottom.

Birds are thus prevented from running and

crowding together and rising all at once or in

great numbers.

Having these conditions, the beaters must enter
the main covert at the end farthest away from the de-
tached covert, flankers must be placed, both men and
guns, and the beaters must advance. As the birds

THE PHEASANT 285

are pushed forward on their feet, the beaters must
not get too close to the running birds. Pheasants can
be driven anywhere if kept on their feet. If there is
a danger of too much squashing together, or a
threatened flush, the beaters must be halted. As the
beaters advance, all thick cover must be properly
beaten, especially bramble bushes. Beaters have a
habit of neglecting these from fear of injuring their
clothes. Every beater should therefore wear a smock
and gaiters. In driving the birds from the main
covert, the beaters stop about one hundred and fifty
yards from the end of the covert, which should be
quite open, and begin to make a great noise ; this drives
the birds across the open space to the detached covert,
and they are now ready to be flushed. Stops are
placed around the detached covert, each man being
ordered to beat two sticks together to prevent birds
collecting in his vicinity, and for his own safety. Guns
are placed in single or double rows, as desired, in the
space between the two coverts — not nearer than eighty
yards to the detached covert — and the flushing begins
by a keeper entering the clump and putting up birds
one by one or two or three at a time. After this has
gone on for some time, all the beaters enter, and,
moving slowly across the covert, drive out the birds,
which, passing over the guns, take their height pretty
much at the level of the trees of the home covert, from
which they had been beaten. A modification of this
plan is for some of the beaters, after leaving the main

286 THE KEEPERS BOOK

covert, to cross the open space and be lined facing the
detached clump, that is, some distance in front of the
guns. This will ensure the birds passing over their
heads, and gives the guns a better chance of high
and strong-going birds.

(2) Where it is proposed to follow the method of
driving the birds into a corner of the main covert,
the latter should be worked in a series of beats until
the whole of the birds are at the flushing-point. The
cover of the flushing-point must be attended to as
carefully as in the detached clump, and from it there
should run a narrow strip of similar cover along the
whole face of the wood. In this case there must be a
drive or open space made inside the cover, where most
of the guns are placed. The birds on being flushed
will fly homewards, as in the first case. Stops as before.

(3) The third method we have indicated consists
in driving birds into a turnip or potato-field some
hundred yards in front of the main covert, stops being
placed at the end and sides of the field. The guns
stand in the open between the main covert and the
field, and some beaters advance into the field some
sixty or seventy yards and halt. The rest of the beaters
then go round and bring the field back in the home-
ward direction. The birds rise, pass over the heads
of the stationary beaters, and make for the covert,
passing in their flight over the guns.

If a keeper is obliged from unforeseen circum-
stances to place the guns instead of the host, he ought

THE PHEASANT 287

to post them a good distance from the covert, so as to
give them a chance of getting good birds instead of
the nasty skinners which they are sure to get if they
are close to the covert side.

These three methods of " showing " the birds may
serve to illustrate the cardinal principles we have
enumerated, and will suggest to the keeper who is
ignorant of the matter the advisability of modifying
methods which are now regarded as prehistoric. He
will find the details of each of these methods described,
with some slight modifications, in Mr. Stuart Wortley's
epoch-making volume on The Pheasant. Even where
there is no artificially arranged flushing-point, the birds
may be so driven as to secure them being flushed from
a higher plane than that on which the guns stand.
For instance, where the covert is lying on the side of
a hill or gentle slope, the birds should be flushed from
the highest point, never the lowest. In those cases
where coverts are very much on the same plane, and
no particular flushing-pointis used, it might besuggested
that a stretch of wire-netting twenty-five yards from the
end of the covert will make the birds rise, and have
time to get above the tree tops before they reach the
guns.

Whenitisabsolutelyimpossible to conductpheasant-
shooting on these scientific principles, from want of
suitable coverts or from other reasons, it might be as
well that near to the end of the coverts three parallel
rows of wire-netting be arranged, with an opening in

288 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

the centre of the two posterior ones. As the pheasants
are pushed forward some will collect behind the first
netting, some behind the second, and some behind the
third. Each division can then be flushed separately.

In some places where they have small pheasant
shoots, matters are improved, and pheasants are shown
better, by prefacing the first covert shoot by a dummy
one, a sort of dress rehearsal, a few days before.
Keepers are placed with blank cartridges, and the birds
are sent over the guns once. By this method the head-
keeper is able to note the flight of the birds and deduce
therefrom the proper position of the guns, and in addi-
tion to this the birds fly higher when the real " trouble "
begins.

In addition to what has been said, the following
practical points may be indicated : —

(i) Sewin may be used as an excellent form of
stop, both for hares and pheasants.

Sewin is made by fastening white feathers and
scarlet tape at intervals of a yard, and ferret bells at
intervals of five yards, on to white or yellow cord, which
is placed on sticks some two and a half feet high,
firmly planted in the ground. The sewin is continually
jerked by a beater, specially told off for the purpose.
It may be used both inside and outside of the coverts.
The sewin is kept on a reel, and is wound round an
iron frame. The reel, the frame, and the sewin are
supplied by well-known firms, and the Army and
Navy Stores.

THE PHEASANT 289

(2) Late in the season stoppers are even of more
importance than beaters. All stops should, of course,
get into position in the early morning, long before
beaters start and guns begin to fire.

(3) Always shoot the covert that has the most birds
in. Do not keep to a stereotyped habit of shooting
coverts whether birds be in or not.

(4) Always shoot the exposed coverts early, as
birds stray to warmer quarters on the fall of the leaf.

(5) All things being equal, outlying coverts proxi-
mate to other shooting-ground should be shot early to
prevent the loss of birds by straying.

(6) No wild or untrained dog should ever be allowed
in the coverts.

(7) All birds must be picked up as they fall. One
or two keepers with dogs following a mixed line of
guns and beaters are useful. A keeper or keepers, in
fact, should always be behind guns. In the clump or
detached covert system they should be just inside the
main covert.

(8) The coverts should be searched carefully with
dogs, preferably on the same day, or the day after the
shooting, for the purpose of finding any wounded or
dead bird that may not have been picked up. The
keeper should be allowed to take a gun and shoot any
birds that show signs of being wounded.

(9) All birds should be counted at the end of each
beat. This will counteract any tendency to theft on
the part of the beaters.

19

NOTES

CHAPTER XIV

WILD DUCK
By LORD MALISE GRAHAM

DURING the past few years we have noted the large bags
of wild duck it is possible to obtain by careful rearing
and good management. Although the number of wild
fowl can hardly be said to have decreased, yet there is
little doubt that in some marshes where, many years
ago, large flocks of wild duck used to collect, there is
scarcely one to be seen. The reasons for this are
numerous. The most important probably is, that as
our population increases, wealthy sportsmen and land-
owners are tempted to seek seclusion and build their
mansions in far-away spots which have always been the
haunt of the wild duck. These birds, being of a shy
disposition, seek other pastures, and the only way to
lure them back is to breed and rear by hand others
which will act as decoys to their more nomadic brethren.
At Netherbyand otherplaces, enormous bags have been
realised, the size of which would hardly have been
credited ten or twelve years ago ; moreover, the trouble
taken is well repaid by the excellent sport these birds
afford ; and the difficulty involved in killing a really

291

292 THE KEEPERS BOOK

high duck is sufficient to satisfy even the most exacting
sportsman.

The common wild duck are fairly plentiful all over
the British Isles ; they are generally to be found in
lakes, ponds, rivers, or other watery places. The male,
commonly known as the mallard, is a singularly beautiful
bird. The head and upper part of the neck are of a dark
green hue ; the lower part of the neck, which is separated
from the upper part by a white ring, is of a greyish
brown colour ; the breast above is of a deep chestnut,
below of a greyish white ; the back is greyish brown.
The wings, which extend to nearly 3 ft, are of a rich
purple colour merging into black ; the greater wing
coverts have tips of a velvet-black, with a bar of white
near the end, and the lesser wing coverts are of a greyish
brown. From the end of May till the beginning of
August the male adopts the dress of the female, and
does not completely assume his own brilliant plumage
till the beginning of October. The female is smaller
than the male and is of a brownish hue, the back being
blackish brown and the breast pale yellowish brown ;
the wings brown, with a little green. The male bird
has a tail of twenty feathers, the four centre feathers
of which are curled up : they are of a greenish black
colour, the others being greyish white. The female
has a tail of brown, the feathers margined with reddish
white. The young birds, male and female, known as
flappers, resemble each other till after the first moult.

The young wild duck is easier to rear than the young

WILD DUCK 293

pheasant, and the expense is small, but certain precau-
tions have to be observed, or the result will mean failure.
The eggs can be bought nowadays at comparatively
low prices, and, having once been bought, there is no
necessity to purchase more for the next season, as the
females reserved for laying will lay quite sufficient. But
supposing, as will probably be the case, that the eggs
are to be collected on the estate and along the marshes,
it is not necessary to consider the question of purchase.
The eggs are usually to be found in the rushes along
a river bank or in an open field. The nests have even
been found in thick trees, and this is not such an un-
common place for a wild duck to build in as might at
first be supposed, especially if the trees are situated
near a river bank. I have found a nest two years in
succession in the same tree as a jackdaw had built hers.
To secure the eggs, in this case, is, however, rather a
severe test of the agility of a keeper. The eggs, by
the way, are of a pale green colour, and are usually
eleven in number.

Having procured the eggs, the treatment is much
the same as it is for pheasants, but ducks' eggs require
to be damped with water more frequently, as is natural,
considering that the female duck would always return
to her nest with her breast feathers wet. They take
twenty-eight days to hatch, and on hatching, the hens,
ducklings, and coops should be placed on some sheltered
grass field. The ground selected should be dry, and
should be wired in, as the ducklings are inclined to

294 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

wander. After a fortnight or three weeks the hens
may be removed, but the coops should remain, and the
young birds should be regularly cooped up at night,
and also during the day if it be very wet. It is im-
portant to ensure that they have plenty of ventilation
when in the coops. It is essential at this time that the
ducklings should not get into any water for swimming,
as they will be found to develop cramp and rheumatism :
large pans for their drinking-water should also be
avoided, in case they get into them, and, when the
water is done with, the pans should be emptied. As
regards feeding, it is important that they should have
plenty, but it must be of the right sort ; they must be
fed regularly when very young — five times a day, three
times in the morning and twice in the afternoon. The
food which is most highly recommended is a meal
specially prepared by Messrs. Gilbertson & Page,
Hertford. It should be mixed with a little water and
given to the birds warm for the first fortnight ; after
that they may have it cold. No other form of nourish-
ment is required, and if given regularly the birds will
be found to thrive on it and grow rapidly. After a
fortnight, three times a day is sufficiently often to feed
them, and this may in turn be decreased to twice a day.
When eight weeks old, the birds may be taken to the
stream or water which is intended for their permanent
home, and fed twice a day as before. After a time
they will become accustomed to their new surround-
ings, and then they need only to be fed once a day, in

WILD DUCK 295

the morning. The soft food should, however, be con-
tinued for some time after removal to the water, and
a few coops should be taken to the water's edge. It
should be borne in mind that everything possible should
be done at this time to accustom the ducks to their new
surroundings, to give the place a homelike appearance,
and to ensure their remaining in it. A few pinioned
ducks and good food will do more to attain these
objects than anything else ; moreover, other birds will
be attracted by their calls, and later on in the season,
about evening feeding-time, many may be shot coming
in to join their companions. After the ducks are a
month old, oatmeal may be added to the prepared food,
to make up a more substantial meal, and the birds
should always be let out of their coops early in the
morning before the dew is off the ground, as they will
then amuse themselves by catching the worms and slugs.
After it is desired to give up the soft food, Indian corn
or maize will be found the most suitable diet. This
should be supplied regularly once a day, in the morning,
and thrown near the water's edge. There are many
other forms of food, however, such as acorns and the
dried insides of rabbits, which if chopped up will be
found most appetising and a pleasant change of diet.
The great enemy of the duckling is the rat, and these
voracious animals are sure to be found wherever there
is maize ; great pains, therefore, should be taken to kill
them before putting down the ducks. About the time
of the harvest the ducklings will be able to take care

296 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

of themselves, and will fly away in the evening to feed
on the corn. If the keeper blows a horn when he feeds
them, they will get into the habit of returning to their
old feeding-ground when they hear the sound, and this
custom may be of use later on, when the horn will
summon them to sterner realities than those of their
morning meal.

It is about sunset that some of the best sport with
these birds may be obtained. The wild duck will
congregate at dusk in some pond, and if the right place
be found, the air will be thick with them flying to and
fro for about twenty minutes. This period of flighting,
as it is called, rarely lasts for more than half an hour.
The best way to find out the haunts of the duck at
night is to walk round the leeward side of the ponds
by day, and observe if there are any feathers lying on
the edges. A field of stubble in flood is a certain place
for the duck to feed in. As wild duck always settle in
the water against the wind, it is generally found best
to stand with one's back to it, as a good shot is then
afforded as the bird comes down to alight. Excellent
sport may also be obtained in the same way at dawn.
The duck all fly back to the lake or water where they
live, from the fields or marshes where they have spent
the night in feeding. It is necessary, therefore, to find
a spot where they all cross over, to select a good place
behind a stump or some other natural cover, and to be
there about twenty minutes before sunrise ; they will
fly over the ambushed enemy in twos and threes, and

296 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

of themselves, and will fly away in the even,
on the corn. If the keeper blows a horn when 1
them, they will get into the habit of returning to t
old feeding-ground when they hear the sound, a
custom may be of use later on, when the horn will
summon them to sterner realities than those of their
morning meal.

It is about sunset that some of the best sport with
these birds may be obtained. The wild duck will
congregate at dusk in some pond, and if the right place
be found, the air will be thick with them flying to and
fro for about twenty minutes. This period of flighting,
as it is called, rarely lasts for more than half an h
The best way to find out the haunts of the duck at
night is to walk round the leeward side of the ponds
by day, and observe if there are any feathers lying on
the edges, A field of stubble in flood is a certain place
for the duck to fee le in

the water against the wind, it is ge;
to stand with one's back to it, as a got is then

afforded as the bird comes down to alight. Excellent
sport may also be obtained in the same way at dawn.
The duck all fly back to the lake or water where they
live, from the fields or marshes where they have spent
the night in feeding. It is necessary, therefore, to find
a spot where they all cross over, to select a good place
behind a stump or some other natural cover, and to be
there about twenty minutes before sunrise will

fly over the ambushed enemy in twos and threes, and

WILD DUCK 297

even in large flocks, and give him plenty of shooting
for about a quarter of an hour. For this sport a quick
eye and good hearing are essential, as the first indica-
tion of the wild ducks' approach is usually the whistling
of their wings, especially on a still day. The mouth
of a river, where it runs into a lake, is an ideal place
for "flight-shooting," and every variety of wild fowl can
be shot in this way, as, during stormy weather, wigeon
and teal will often come inland to feed, the former of
which can readily be distinguished by their shrill whistle.
The more stormy the night and morning, the better
chance one has, as the birds fly lower, and are not so
easily frightened away by a shot.

Nowadays, when duck are so much reared by hand,
it is possible, as has been explained above, to keep them
near the streams or ponds where they have been brought
up. One rule, however, should be observed with regard
to shooting wild duck if they are to be expected to
remain, i.e. not to shoot them in or near these streams
where they have been reared. Let these be sanctuary,
as it were, for them, and then they will be found to
return to these places again in the evening, as if being
shot at were the most natural and harmless thing in
the world. Supposing that there are two or three of
these sanctuaries (which there should be if there be a
large number of birds), let a man be stationed near each
to frighten the birds away as they try to settle ; then
they will fly round and round, gradually rising higher
in the air, and will give the guns plenty of shooting for

298 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

two hours or so. The guns should stand in good high
butts, circular in shape, made up from fir branches, or
some such other natural cover, lined alongside a wood
for preference, so that the birds may be shot as they
top the trees. Of course, a great quantity of duck are
required for this form of shooting, and there are few
places in England at present where it is possible to
enjoy the luxury of a duck drive ; though, probably,
in a few years it will become a much more common
pastime. As was mentioned above, a horn is a very
useful implement for calling wild duck in, and it is
astonishing with what readiness they answer the call
when they become accustomed to it.

Another method of killing wild fowl is to stalk them
over a river bank and shoot them as they rise. They
afford easy shots if successfully stalked, but half the
pleasure lies in approaching them without giving the
alarm, as they are very wary birds, and their sense of
hearing on a still day is little short of marvellous. A
useful thing to remember is to approach them, if possible,
from the side from which the wind blows, as they rise
against the wind and their breasts afford a good and
vital mark. A young wild duck, bred in the river, has
a great enemy in the pike. It is extraordinary how
many birds this voracious fish can account for, and
keepers can very well spend any spare time they may
have in the summer in catching them. Even in in-
nocent-looking ponds these fish may be found, and I
have known the young duck disappear from a pond in

WILD DUCK 299

a seemingly inexplicable manner, and yet the cause was
not very far to seek, for eventually several large pike
were taken out of it. The only way to catch these
fish in a pond is with a rod and float.

Now, a word as to the best kind of dog to use for
wild-duck shooting. An ordinary retriever, if she takes
kindly to the water, is as good as could be desired, but
this species of the canine tribe require most careful
teaching. Nothing is more annoying than for a retriever
to take the duck to the opposite bank of the river, drop
it, and, on being called, swim back without it ; yet I
have seen them do it often. A day spent in the early
part of the season by the river bank, shooting an
occasional flapper, is excellent for teaching the young
and inexperienced retriever ; the water is warm, and
the bird is not so likely to dive just as the dog reaches
it. But on no account should a dog be made to take
to the water by being thrown into it. Nothing gives
them a keener or more lasting distaste for the business.
He should also be prevented from getting into the habit
of dropping his duck on reaching the bank for the
purpose of shaking himself, as he may leave the bird
in some inaccessible spot ; he should, on the contrary,
be trained to bring the bird up to his master's hand.
The Newfoundland and water-spaniel are really the
best dogs for this work, the former being a very strong
swimmer. The latter requires to be taught to take no
notice of water-rats, as these infest the river banks,
and this species is very much inclined to hunt them.

300 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

All water-dogs must be taught to range to hand, as
their radius of vision is very small when they are in
the water, and it is of material advantage to them if
they can be guided and directed by the hand. It is
very important, also, that all water-dogs should be very
quiet, as the slightest bark or whine is fatal, and is
sufficient to spoil a whole day's sport. The constant
exposure of these dogs to cold and wet is liable to bring
on rheumatic fever, especially if they are accustomed
to sit most of the day before a roaring fire. The
symptoms are : the dog will resent being touched, will
snarl if you attempt to pat him, and will, as a rule,
cower in a corner. The best cure is to give him a hot
bath, dry him well before the fire, and then apply, by
hard rubbing, a mixture of equal parts of spirit of
turpentine, ammonia, and laudanum.

The directions which may assist the keeper in
bringing up and shooting wild duck must, perforce,
be of a general nature, as the method in each case will
vary, depending largely on the conformation of the
ground and the nature of the surroundings ; but it
should be observed that wild duck are very capable of
looking after themselves, and that the keeper's chief
difficulty lies in keeping the birds from straying, and his
chief care in feeding them regularly when very young.

Note. — When the lie of the land is favourable, it is often possible to
drive duck up a burn, from their feeding-ground, into an enclosure at a
higher elevation. The guns being posted below, the birds are let out in
twos and threes. The principle is very much the same as in the case of
pheasant "showing." P. J. M.

NOTES

NOTES

CHAPTER XV

NOTES ON WlLDFOWLING IN SCOTLAND
By J. S. HENDERSON

IT is impossible to do justice to a subject so wide in an
abridged treatise of this nature, and of necessity the
writer must merely touch the fringe, but in so doing
an endeavour will be made to bring forward those points
which, strictly speaking, it is every gamekeeper's duty
to be conversant with.

Flighting

This form of sport, which is annually becoming more
popular, is, in the writer's opinion, before all other forms
of shoulder gun-shooting. Every keeper, upon whose
beat it is possible to indulge in flighting, should make it
his duty to be thoroughly acquainted with the feeding-
grounds, and the lines of flight in different winds, and so
be able to place the guns to the best advantage. One
of the chief points to be observed in flighting is to
remain perfectly still and keep well out of sight. The
keepers should see that at the various stands satis-
factory cover is available. The gun should always face
down wind, as it will be found that most duck beat their

303

304 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

way up wind, and in stormy weather fly very close to
the ground. If no shelter is available, the gun should
try to have his back to a peat stack, peat bank, or any
dark object, and if that is impossible his next best
course is to kneel on the ground and remain perfectly
still. Duck, when flying to the feeding-ground, shy
much more easily on seeing a dog or man moving about
than they do at the sound of the shots. In flighting,
one requires to keep very much on the alert with both
ears and eyes. In uncertain twilight the birds are often
heard before they are seen. The birds should never
be allowed to pass the guns, but should be taken when-
ever they come up. This applies especially to morn-
ing, evening, and moonlight flighting, when the light
is uncertain, and the birds are within shot almost always
assoon,and sometimes sooner, than they are within sight.
Some advocate heavy shot for flighting, but the writer
is of opinion that Nos. 5 and 6 are the most useful for
this form of sport at all times, except during the day,
when No. 4 in the right and No. 3 in the left barrel
will be found the most effective. The reason why the
smaller shot is preferred for morning, evening, and
moonlight flighting is that a far shot is rarely avail-
able in the uncertain light, as the birds cannot be seen
at a long distance. The flighter should get to his
ground early and be comfortably settled ere the flight
begins. He should be careful to take the warmest of
clothing and the strongest of boots. On fine nights
flighting need hardly be attempted. The best sport

WILDFOWLING 305

can be got on stormy nights and in frost. On a fine
night the birds will fly too high, and will very probably
not start for their feeding-ground till considerably after
sundown, at which time it is impossible to see them
except against a white cloud. The flighter should
never be without a reliable dog, but he should not allow
the dog to range for every bird that drops. Runners
and birds which have dropped into the water should be
retrieved at once, as also birds dropped in soft mud, as
the latter are frequently so deeply embedded, that if not
picked up at once, they can rarely be found. Except
in day flighting, when one can mark his birds down,
it is wise always to listen for the result of a passing shot,
as frequently a fast bird will drop with a considerable
thud far behind the gun. A flighter should always be
most careful to see that his dog is thoroughly dried on
returning home, as the cold and the effect of the sea-
water invariably, sooner or later, bring on rheumatism
and deafness.

Times of Flighting — Evening

In the evening for about half an hour just at twi-
light, when the birds pass from their resting-ground at
sea to their feeding-ground on some inland loch, burn,
or estuary.

Moonlight Flighting

It is a mistaken idea that a clear, cloudless sky is

best adapted for this form of shooting. A good moon
20

306 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

and lots of white, fleecy clouds are by far the best condi-
tions for showing up the birds to advantage. I n autumn,
about harvest-time, excellent moonlight shooting may
be got when the birds are passing to feed on crop,
stubble, or potato ground. Barley and potato fields
are the favourite attractions, and the best situation for
the gun in a field of grain will be at any " laid " spot
near the centre of the field.

Morning

At dawn, for about the same space of time, the
birds may be intercepted returning from their feeding-
grounds to their resting-grounds for the day. This is
rarely so satisfactory as evening flighting, as the birds
do not conform to the same regular line of flight, and
usually return to their resting-ground in large packs.
Good sport, however, can sometimes be got by an alert
"gun" posted by a creek or channel leading from the
sea to the feeding-ground. The birds will nearly always
follow this line of flight when returning at dawn to the
sea.

Day Flighting

Very good day flighting may sometimes be got in
rough weather when the birds are driven from the
open sea or lochs and are making for more sheltered
quarters.

WILDFO WLING 307

Feeding

As so much good sport can be got without the
trouble of artificial feeding, the custom is not often
followed, but those who care to try it will find that
barley and potato refuse make the most appetising
meals for wild duck, although oats, or, indeed, grain
of any sort, will serve the purpose. If feeding is
resorted to, the ground should be "fed" for three
or four nights before a shot is fired, so as to allow
the birds to become accustomed to it. Care should
be taken not to place the food in hollows where the
duck, if they alight unseen, cannot be shot. The most
likely spot for natural feeding is just where a burn
empties into a loch, and artificial feeding in the near
neighbourhood may often be conducive to good
results.

The Best Season

The best months for duck-flighting will usually
be found to be November, December, and January,
although the season varies a little in some districts.
One of the chief interests and excitements in this
class of sport is the variety of birds that may be
killed before the " flighter " realises what he has
" loosed off" at. Of course, such visitors (and they
are frequent) as teal, widgeon, and plover herald their
approach long ere one can give them the welcome
-hail!"

3o8 THE KEEPERS BOOK

Shore Shooting

There is little to be said on this subject from a
gamekeeper's point of view, but from a sportsman's
aspect it is impossible to overestimate the advantages
to be gained from this class of sport. One's knowledge
for judging distance and pace can be brought to the
highest standard by observing the results of the shots
on the water, and varied indeed is the bag that may be
got by a wary " shore shooter."

Bog Shooting

The chief point to observe here is to mark down
the birds carefully. The guns should never loiter about
hunting for dead birds, but should move steadily on
from the moment they enter the bog, as duck, so soon
as they become suspicious, will take to the wing if they
observe the line standing or hunting about, whereas
they will nearly always sit close enough, to give
a reasonably near shot, if the guns keep steadily on.
Some bogs afford better and surer sport by being driven.
To execute a successful drive, the wind is the supreme
factor to be reckoned with.

Decoy D^lck-Shooting

Exceedingly good sport may be obtained, especially
on a very stormy day, by placing a few decoy ducks
within good range of a gun stationed near the bank
of a sheltered bay or eddy. The decoy can also be

WILDFO WLING 309

used with success when ducks are flighting to crop or
roots.

Shooting Afloat

When shooting from a small boat, especially with
an 8-bore, the keeper must be most careful to keep the
head of the boat well up to the waves. The recoil of an
8-bore is sufficient to rock the boat and topple the gun
into the water, unless the boat's head is kept well up.
In approaching from the sea towards duck feeding
ashore, always manoeuvre towards them along the
shore, and never by direct frontal attack.

Punting

This subject is a study in itself, and only a few
practical points may be noted. The rest must be
gleaned from experience. First beware of strong tides
and southerly winds. A discreet punter will never
leave the poling-ground with an uncertain wind, especi-
ally if it be from the south. When approaching a
flock of duck, always give due heed to the sentinels
that will be seen dotted here and there apart from the
flock. Upon their conduct the punter should base his
scheme of operations. An outlook should also be kept
for black-backed gulls, as they are a frequent source of
disturbance, and often mar what would have been ideal
chances. Never attempt punting in rough weather,
but watch and take advantage of the first lull after a
storm. A punter should make a point of making as

310 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

fast as he can for the scene of the shot to secure the
wounded. This is especially essential if one be after
ducks of the diving species, as they, though wounded,
may give much trouble and often escape altogether. It
will be found, however, that a wounded duck has con-
siderable reluctance to go under water at first, and, if
reached without loss of time, he can be finished off with
a i2-bore ere he makes up his mind to dive.

The vermin which are most disastrous to wildfowl
and their eggs in Scotland tare the grey crow and the
black-backed gull. The larger species of hawks do a
certain amount of damage, but they are becoming so
few and far between, and wildfowl are so plentiful, that
the sportsman is only too glad to accord to them un-
grudgingly their toll of birds. Every effort should, how-
ever, be made to destroy the two arch-enemies which
I have just mentioned. On some of the rocks in the
Outer Hebrides where wildfowl nest in large numbers,
one will readily see that it is impossible to magnify the
damage and depredation caused by such vermin as the
grey crow and black-backed gull. The shells of count-
less eggs, not to speak of the bones of young wildfowl,
can be seen on almost every rock or prominence in the
nesting quarters of the wildfowl.

Wild Goose Shooting

To attempt this class of sport with any degree of
success, one must first procure a double 8 -bore gun,
although at times, with great luck, a considerable bag

WILDFOWLING 311

is made with a 1 2 -bore and heavy shot. There are three
recognised means whereby the sportsman may get to
the windward of the wily goose — Stalking, Driving,
and Flighting. I have stated these processes in their
order of merit, as I think that every one who has had
experience of wild-goose shooting will admit that stalk-
ing is by far the most interesting, although at the same
time the most difficult, means of attack. Further, a
successful stalk usually means a considerable slaughter.
The wild goose, when feeding or at rest, always has his
position guarded by alert sentries, and to stalk him with
success one must approach him up wind and take advan-
tage of every available piece of cover, having first care-
fully surveyed the ground with a telescope. The greylag
goose is undoubtedly the most difficult to approach, and
he usually adds to his security by taking up his position
in the centre of a flat, where it is next to impossible to
approach him under cover. Sometimes, however, he
will allow a horse and cart to get within easy shooting
distance of him, provided a circular manoeuvre is
adopted, and not a direct approach. Bernacle geese
are much easier to stalk, and they will usually be found
on a piece of good green pasture.

Driving. — There are various methods adopted with
more or less success. One is by the usual process of
taking cover. Another is by digging pits, both in the
probable line of flight, which one should be able to
gauge with considerable accuracy. Thereafter the
geese should be driven towards the guns in as quiet a

3i2 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

manner as possible without causing undue alarm. A
method of driving usually successful is, where the geese
are found on a small island, for the guns to take " post "
in some narrow creek or channel, which the geese are
known usually to take on leaving the feeding-ground.
In such a course they will nearly always be got flying
low and well within shot.

Flighting. — This is always an uncertain form of
sport, and requires the exercise of much patience. A
great deal of the matter bearing upon duck-flighting is
applicable to geese-flighting, but the latter are best
found, at least the grey lag and bernacle, flighting to
corn and potato-fields. By an examination of the
ground, the keeper will find ample indication as to
where the guns should be placed, and if sufficient
patience is exercised, success is practically certain to a
more or less degree. The flighting hours correspond
with those of duck.

Note. — As wildfowling is a sport practised only by a privileged few, it
was thought inadvisable that it should be dealt with at any length. The
reader is accordingly advised to seek further information fasmTkeEncyclo-
padia of Sport, from the volumes on Shootingvn. the Badminton Library,
and from the works of Mr. J. G. Millais, Mr. H. G. Folkard, Mr. Abel
Chapman, Mr. L. Upcott Gill, Mr. Horace Cox, and Colonel Hawker.
Those who are interested in the question of shooting with swivel and
other forms of guns will find full information in the works of many of
these writers.

NOTES

NOTES

CHAPTER XVI

MISCELLANEOUS SPORT

Plover

THERE is very little to be said with regard to the
keeper's duties as they affect plover. He may be
called upon to direct the guns how to proceed.
There are no very definite laws to be laid down. Of
course they should no more be approached in an open
field than partridges should be, for plover are even
more wary than the brown bird. They should be
approached by the circular method described in the
chapter on the Partridge. The best chances, how-
ever, are obtained by attempting to drive them down
wind, the drivers approaching the birds in a circle,
slowly and noiselessly.

The following is recommended by the Fowler in
Ireland'. " Another method of getting within range of
plover congregated in a field is to tie a dog to a short
stick and peg it down into the ground, leaving the animal
a tether of five or six yards. Secure him a couple of
hundred yards away from the ' stand ' to windward, and
every bird's eye will be turned in his direction as he
moves or struggles. You may then steal up to them on

315

3i6 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

their other flank against the wind, and will always get
within fair, often easy, shot."

Pigeons

Pigeon-shooting from traps hardly comes within the
scope of a keeper's duties, but a few remarks may be
made as to the killing of wild wood-pigeons. A few
head may be obtained by simply beating a wood. When
this is done, great care must be taken that the guns are
placed a considerable time before the beaters enter the
wood, as on the first crackle of a broken stick the pigeons
will begin to leave the covert. The keeper should take
care to note the customary flight of the birds, and place
the guns accordingly. Pigeons generally fly from covert
to covert, and as a rule take the shortest line to get out
of a wood. The question of wind, of course, is important.
In leaving covert pigeons seldom fly against the wind,
but almost invariably do so when returning to it. But
to obtain any large bag of pigeons in a short space of
time, decoys must be used. These may either be stuffed
pigeons or birds just shot. In the former cases, the
decoys should have copper wire passing from within the
bodies of the birds down the legs, with, say, some sixteen
inches projecting from each foot. In the latter cases,
thepresentwriters have long found the folio wing method
efficacious : Pieces of wire-netting are cut so as to fix
the fresh-killed birds with their wings clasped to the
sides, and their heads erect, on to branches of trees.

MISCELLANEOUS SPORT 317

But, whatever the form of decoy, it must always be
placed with its head facing the wind, and the gun or guns
should stand some fifty yards away, facing it. "It will
be found useful," says Lord Walsingham, "to be pre-
pared beforehand with several short sticks, pointed at
both ends, and when ten or twelve birds are down, to
gather them quickly and set them up on open spaces
beneath the trees as assistant decoys. With wings
closed to their sides, resting on their breast bones, they
can be fixed with heads erect or craning forward as if
in search of food, by passing the upper end of the stick
through the lower portion of the beak, the opposite
end being stuck into the ground beneath the crop of
the bird."

Great care should be taken by the keeper in selecting
the cover for the "guns," and he should also warn the
latter as to the necessity of their clothing being as near
as possible akin to the colour of the cover in which they
are standing.

Capercailzie

In placing the guns for capercailzie-driving, know-
ledge of the usual flight of the birds is of value. In our
experience capercailzie generally come out of covert and
then take a wide sweep round and close to it and then
fly in again. They seldom fly out into the open. Guns
should be placed quite near the covert. In preserving
the stock, care must be taken, as in all other cases, to
eliminate vermin.

3i8 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

Woodcock

The movements of these migratory birds are very
uncertain. They come to-day and are gone to-morrow,
and nothing can be done to increase or encourage them.
Soft feeding-ground is, however, a great attraction. A
certain number remain in this country and breed, but the
most of them come in with the first severe weather, when
a thaw comes they move away, and they seldom return,
but it has been noticed that while they cannot be found
in the coverts they are very often got on the moors and
open ground, not having left the countryside, as some
supposed. In the event of woodcock not being in
coverts, it is well worth trying the open moor for them,
especially when the moor lies to the sun. Whenever
the cock are in, the keeper should advise his master, and
as their stay is very uncertain, get at them at once.

The keeper will have difficulty in knowing whether
he has woodcock in his coverts or not, and having dis-
covered them, he cannot tell how long they will remain.
He can, however, be certain of the fact that woodcock,
as a rule, during the time they remain on the ground,
are loath to leave any favourite shelter they have chosen,
and will even flyback to the place they have been flushed
from in a beat. Accordingly, it is often wise to go over
the same ground a second time. Markers outside the
coverts will be able to give important information as to
whether cock have left a covert or not, although it is
often very difficult to accurately mark the place where

MISCELLANEOUS SPORT 319

a bird has alighted. Woodcock that have been marked
down should be followed up at once, as they have a habit
of rapidly changing their quarters when they know that
guns are about. They often fly into the hedges or under
the dykes at the outside of the covert. It is very desir-
able that these should be well beaten. The covert ought
to be beaten thoroughly, and if the beat is especially for
cock, the holly bushes and laurels should be well shaken.
The best days to shoot woodcock are after clear moon-
light nights, or days on which the sun is not too bright.
Then the keeper may be certain that the woodcock, who
is entirely (except under very pressing circumstances)
a night feeder, has fed well and that he will lie well, being
inclined to be sleepy and lazy. Cock, of course, vary
their habitat according to the weather. After a frost
they will be found where water can best be obtained.
Accordingly the ditches and drains in the covert should
be carefully explored.

The first days after a severe frost are the best for
single or two or three guns. All likely places should be
worked first, then the ground the birds have flown to,
and the guns should finally return to the beat they first
worked, but not sooner than two or three hours after
they first shot over it.

When the birds are lying well — that is, after a bright
night in which they have fed amply — it is better to walk
them up ; if they are lying badly, that is, after a night
in which they have not fed well, it is better to have the
birds beaten to the guns. In such weather, an outside

320 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

gun walking with the beaters, or a little in advance of
them, is of great importance, and he should be warned
to keep a sharp look-out in passing any openings in the
covert.

In looking for cock in the open, it must be remem-
bered that they generally feed on the lee side of a hill,
and may be found where they feed. It is better to
remember this rule than to trouble one's memory by
north, south, east, or west. When there is no wind,
they choose the brightest or sunniest side.

Roe- Shooting

In shooting roe-deer by driving, the main point to
be remembered by the keepers is the tendency for the
roe to break back through the line of beaters, and there-
fore he should advise, if necessary, that some of the guns
should walk with the beaters. The other guns should
be kept absolutely out of sight.

Hares

In considering how to maintain a good stock of
brown hares, it is necessary for the keeper to remember
that they require a lot of cover.

In driving hares, the drive should be down wind,
there should be plenty of flanks, and the beaters should
advance slowly and quietly.

For the improvement of stock, a few bucks and does
should be turned down yearly. They are easily obtain-

MISCELLANEOUS SPORT 321

able from certain game farms at a moderate price. It
is better, however, to secure them from a more intimate
source. Owing to the size of the hare, which makes it
an easy mark for the gun, the stock needs constantly
renewing, or it will soon disappear altogether. A strict
limit should be fixed every season on the number of
hares to be shot.

Poaching Hares

Hare-poaching is generally carried out by driving
the hares towards a gate, on the outside of which a net
is fastened. On this account the bottom bars of gates
should be so close together that a hare cannot bolt
through.

Snipe

The snipe are migratory birds, but increasing
numbers are year by year nesting in this country. They
rather upset one's usual methods of shooting, but make
good sporting shots. Where the ground is of little value,
it should be remembered that, while draining in many
cases is necessary, a little wet land should be left on a
shoot here and there for the home of snipe and wild
duck. Why some ground should be more suitable than
others for snipe it is hard to determine, but it is more
than likely that the feeding is the attraction, and that
rich, soft land with lots of worms is the source of attrac-
tion and the most likely haunt of the woodcock and
snipe.

The observant keeper should have a very definite
21

322 THE KEEPERS BOOK

idea as to the haunts of the snipe on the ground under
his charge, and he should remember the important fact
that snipe are very conservative in their habits, and that
once they have selected a habitat there will they always
be found. From the many facts known as to the habits,
habitats, and shooting of snipe, we select the following
as worthy of the memory of the keeper : —

(1) Snipe are markedly affected by the moon.

Choose a day for shooting after a clear night.
Then they will have fed well, and will lie well
to the guns. For, like woodcock, snipe feed
chiefly at night time, but after dark nights
snipe feed during the day, and are very much
on the alert.

(2) The best time to shoot snipe is during the thaw

after a frost. During this time they get a
plentiful supply of worms, which always
come very near to the surface of the earth
after frost.

(3) Snipe lie best in muggy weather, with a gentle

breeze and a barometer which shows a
tendency to fall, and after a moonlight
night.

(4) Snipe lie worst in bright, fresh weather, with a

high breeze, and after a dark, cloudy night.

(5) In the generality of cases, in finding the birds,

the guns should walk down wind —

(a) In a thaw — when the birds will be lying
well ;

MISCELLANEOUS SPORT 323

(b) When the birds are lying badly during

a strong wind.
On the other hand, the guns should walk up wind —

(a) During a sharp frost, when the birds

will be lying badly ;

(b) When there is but a light breeze (but

not during a thaw) after a dark
night ;

(c) In approaching a bird for the second

time after flushing.

(6) The best hours to shoot snipe are those immedi-

ately following daybreak, and the hours just
before dark.

(7) Snipe-shooting should not commence on ist

August, as commonly practised. The end of
September is the earliest time they are likely
to be found in good condition.

(8) Better shooting is obtained in big grass fields

soaked with water, or in bogs that have only
shallow pools, than in large flooded bogs and
extensive marshes. I n the latter case a single
shot may cause a whole flock to rise " in
wisps," and thus offer poor sport. In these
cases it is perhaps better to drive the birds.
If suitable arrangements can be made, a rope
may be drawn across the bog or " moss." In
those cases where mallard and teal are also
present, capital sport can be obtained with
good guns.

324 THE KEEPERS BOOK

(9) It is wise to remember that, after being shot at,
snipe may fly or be blown long distances and
then fall dead.

( 10) The best dogs for snipe-shooting are Irish water
spaniels and red Irish setters, the latter being
used for shooting over bogs or large marshes,
and the former for smaller and drained
marshes.

NOTES

NOTES

CHAPTER XVII

DISEASES OF GAME

Groiise Disease. — There is not much that a keeper can
do to directly attack disease in grouse, but as prevention
is better than cure, he will take care that the directions
given in Chapter IX. for the improvement of ground
and stock are carefully carried out. We may in this
place recall the principal causes that are known to be
favourable to disease in grouse : —

1 i ) The presence on the moor of " peppered " birds.

(2) Want of draining ; much old and rank heather.

(3) The presence of decayed or decaying matter,
such as the carcases of sheep, grouse, etc.

(4) Inefficient water supply in dry seasons.

(5) Absence of grit and lime.

(6) Interbreeding and overstocking.

These conditions may not actually be the direct
cause of disease, but they are recognised predisposing
causes, and such are always taken into account in the
study of disease.

When a dead bird is found, the keeper should en-
deavour at once to discover the cause of death. If he

is satisfied that it has been killed by wire fencing or tele-

337

328 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

graph wires, the fact should serve to indicate that there
are remedies for such possible sources of disaster. If
no such cause is to be discovered, he should cut the
bird open and look for disease. All grouse found dead
on the moor should be burnt.

The Grouse Commission is still sitting, and will
next year publish a full report, which will make in-
teresting reading ; up till now nothing definite has been
discovered of the predisposing cause of grouse disease.

In a previous chapter we mentioned that Dr. Shipley,
F.R.S., who is investigating the subject, has not yet
been able to find the host of the tapeworm. The
theories are many, but before any are accepted
abundant proof will require to be brought forward.
Some keepers think that the dog will be found to be the
cause of the tapeworm in grouse. Dr. Shipley is giving
mites and ticks careful attention. In Ross-shire ticks
are numerous in certain woods, and keepers say they
kill a large number of black game, but the tick has never
been found in the crop of the grouse. He says, for
instance, that the tapeworms which live in the alimen-
tary canal of the grouse pass their younger or larval
stages in the body of some lower animal. This lower
animal — presumably an insect, or mollusc, or spider
— must be eaten by a grouse, and the larval tapeworm
is set free before the latter can grow up into the adult
tapeworm which we find in the intestine of the grouse.
In searching for this second host, it was natural to
begin with the ectoparasites, which one would imagine

DISEASES OF GAME 329

were being continually snapped up by the bird. We
have, however, up to now completely failed to find
any cestoid larvae in the grouse-fly or in the numerous
" biting lice " which abound on the skin and amongst
the feathers of the grouse ; and what is still more
significant and still more remarkable, we have, in the
hundreds of crop contents which we have examined,
never found one of these insects in the grouse's food.

Dr. Shipley also describes the different parasites,
commencing with the grouse-lice, which does so much
harm to the grouse in the bad years when they are
feeble and unhealthy ; this lice is the commonest of the
insects which infest the skin of the grouse, and appears
to some extent in inverse measure to their health.
Careful search will discover but two or three on a
healthy grouse, but on a "piner" hundreds may be
met with. No doubt we will yet discover the host of
the tapeworm or the cause of the grouse disease. I
made the following observation two years ago, on a
moor, where attention had been given to burning,
draining, vermin-killing, etc. etc., with the hopes of
bringing the bag up to a given limit : a larger stock of
grouse was left in 1907, and one hundred and fifty brace
that might have been shot were spared in the hopes of
a record year in 1 908. One fact, however, was omitted
in the calculations. The season had been a very bad
heather year, so that there was no feeding during the
winter for a large stock of grouse, and in consequence the
grouse got into poor condition, pined, and suffered much

330 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

from disease. The result was that instead of being a
record year, as was expected, the season of 1908 was
a complete failure, with the result that no shooting
took place at all. Next season new blood was intro-
duced from Yorkshire, and the birds are again increas-
ing in number and healthy. There can be no doubt
that land or water will only support a certain amount
of life which is regulated according to the food. Over-
stock and you bring disease and death. How often do
we forget that Nature's laws cannot be set at naught
with impunity ?

Pheasant Disease. — Overcrowding and interbreed-
ing are the main causes of disease in pheasants. When
disease breaks out, all affected birds should be killed,
and the rest of the stock moved to fresh ground, and
a careful examination made into the dietary and
hygienic surroundings of the birds. The bodies of all
pheasants killed by disease or killed on account of
disease should be burned. Disease is often caught from
the domestic fowls. The condition of the latter should
be carefully inquired into, and the same procedure taken
with the affected fowls as with the affected pheasants.
It is wise, as soon as disease shows itself, to give lime
freely to all the birds. Lime should constitute an essen-
tial part of the food of pheasants and of the ground upon
which they live.

When worms appear, isolation of the affected birds
becomes imperative, and the removal of the unaffected
birds to healthier soil. The affected pheasants in these

DISEASES OF GAME 331

cases may be sprinkled with a weak solution of salicylic
acid or salicylate of soda, and a little of the solution
should be added to the drinking water.

Mr. Shipley says : " In individual cases the worms
may be removed by dipping a feather stripped of its
barbules except at the tip, into a mixture of one part of
oil of turpentine and two of olive oil, or into oil of cloves,
and then inserting it into the trachea; on its withdrawal
it will probably bring with it the worms. The opera-
tion requires a little care, or asphyxiation may result.
Garlic mixed into the food and rue mixed with the
water have also proved successful."

Putting birds in boxes containing two parts, by
weight, of powdered chalk to one of camphor is
recommended by some authorities, while Mr. Teget-
meier recommends that the birds should be fumigated
by volatilised carbolic acid. This can be done byputting
the affected birds in a box in which a hot brick has been
placed and pouring a solution of carbolic acid on the
brick.

Gapes. — Lime dust sprinkled in the coops in the
morning is useful in this disease. At a later stage
garlic should be given with the food, once a day.

Cramp. — Change of soil is the treatment recom-
mended here.

Ophthalmia and other Eye Affections. — The birds
should be removed from their present rearing-ground.

Diarrhoea. — A little starch mixed with food soon
corrects this. Food should also be changed.

332 THE KEEPERS BOOK

Scurfy Legs. — The coops should be thoroughly
cleaned and whitewashed, and the legs of the affected
birds well soaked in hot water, the scales peeled off, and
the legs then washed with some antiseptic soap. All
affected fowls should be removed, and all affected
pheasants isolated.

Partridges. — The remarks made above in regard
to overcrowding, interbreeding, change of ground and
food, cleanliness, and the burning of all dead birds, apply
equally to partridges as to pheasants. What has been
said about supplying partridges with drinking fountains
in very dry weather must be remembered in consider-
ing the question of gapes. Mr. Horace Hutchinson
practically cured his estate at Newmarket of this disease
by putting down numerous drinking fountains the
moment dry weather set in after hatching time.

Rabbits. — The constant change of blood, attention
to the feeding capacities of the ground, and the avoid-
ance of turnips as a food are the best preventives of
disease. If disease has spread to any large extent, the
whole stock should be killed off. This applies also to
partridges and to pheasants. The ground should also
be thoroughly dressed with salt and lime.

CHAPTER XVIII

LOADERS AND GUN CLEANING

IT is only by practice that the loader can learn to come
into sympathetic practice with the shooter. The har-
mony between the two must be complete, if success is
to be looked for, a harmony so perfect as to make the
practice of exchanging guns almost as automatic as a
machine. But the first point for the loader to remember,
and never to forget, is that the gun is an enemy to life,
and that no weapon, whether it be 1 2 -bore gun, fowling-
piece, rifle, air-gun, or penny pistol, should ever be
directed, either loaded or unloaded, with the barrels
pointing at any living thing, except for the purpose of
killing. The muzzle of a gun should always be inclined
to the earth or to the sky, clear from everything whose
life is of value. If these principles are borne into the
intelligence, they will assist the loader in carrying out
his duties with success. In loading he must remember
to keep the point of the barrels clear of every one, " to
depress the muzzle while turning away from the shooter,
and in shutting the gun always to raise the stock to the
barrels, and not the barrels to the stock, so that if by
any accident the charge explodes, it can only make a

333

334 THE KEEPERS BOOK

hole in the ground." The gun should never be closed,
if loaded, while the loader is turned towards the shooter.
Guns should never be loaded until the shooter takes his
place at his stand, and should always be unloaded as
soon as the drive is over.

It is highly desirable that a little rehearsal should
take place between the shooter and the loader, if they
are strangers to each other at the game. When the
loader is the shooter's own servant, five or ten minutes'
practice in the gunroom on "off" days should be in-
dulged in, and also now and again during the summer.
This will save a lot of bother, wasteful movements, and
irritation when "the trouble " begins. The loader must
always be keen and on the look-out, not at the birds,
but at the man who is using the guns. He is not in-
tended to spot the birds and call "left," "right," or
"over " ; he is only there to see that his shooter gets
a loaded gun with the least degree of trouble. He
must be on the alert to get out of the way, as the shooter
varies his position so as to get a suitable angle to loose
on his bird. The position varies most in partridge-
driving, at which practice the capacity of the loader
will be tried to the utmost. Coolness is a most valu-
able quality, and this is demanded most when rapidity
of loading is an essential. All guns should be loaded
as if they were wanted quickly, even though the loader
is aware that there is no particular hurry. He errs
then only on the safe side, and the practice of quick
loading at all times will perfect his art in general. To

LOADERS 335

assist in the perfection of his practice, the loader should
rehearse the loading and unloading of guns — at other
times, of course, than shooting ones.

The position of the loader is varied by the prefer-
ence of the shooter and the game to be shot. Some
shooters like their loaders immediately behind them,
some on the right and others on the left. On this point
Lord Suffolk and Mr. Craven write : " When rocket-
ing pheasants are the sole objects, the loader may stand
right half-forward without in the least interfering with
his master, who, indeed, will be rather helped than
hindered ; but if hares and rabbits are also coming out
of covert, the man must be well half-back. In grouse-
driving a position on the immediate right is obviously
to be recommended, for thus placed the loader will only
interfere with a shot which would pepper the occupant
of the adjoining butt on that side. For partridge-
driving over high fences or belts, the rule is the same
as with tall pheasants."

In changing guns the shooter throws up the barrel
and grasps the gun by the neck and turns slightly to
the loader, who takes it with his left hand and passes
the second loaded gun smartly forward with his right.
While holding the unused loaded gun, it should be
held just below the triggers with the right hand, and
the right arm should be leant slightly across the
chest so as to rest the barrels on the left arm. The
barrels will then be pointing in the air to the left and
behind.

336 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

Hints to Loaders.

(a) The loader should never touch the "safe" slide,

and when loading should turn his back to the
gun. After loading, in closing the breech,
raise the butt and not the barrels. This is
most essential to the safety of the gun and the
loader. Of course it is understood the point
of the weapon will be pointing to the ground
when loading.

(b) The loader should never talk, and should never

smoke on duty. It is considered very bad
manners and can only be excused on the score
of ignorance.

(c) The loader in wet weather should protect the

mechanism part of the gun as much as poss-
ible, and should wipe it from time to time
with an oiled rag.

(d) Should any difficulty be experienced in working

the lever, the gun should be carefully ex-
amined for dirt or any remains of cartridge
paper.

(e) Damp cartridges should never be used.

(/) If mud or sand or other foreign substances get
into the barrels, they should be well run
through with the lead cylinder and the
pocket cleaner.

(g) Always inspect the gun thoroughly after any
accident of the nature of tripping or of drop-

LOADERS 337

ping the gun. No gun that has the barrels
badly indented should be used.
If a third gun be used, it should be held by a keeper
or a second loader, who stands behind the shooter and
first loader. It is this man who may keep his eyes on
the birds, but never the loader.

CLEANING OF GUNS AND RIFLES

In addition to the regular cleaning of the guns at
the end of the day's sport, there is something to be said
for cleaning them at intervals in the shooting. When
there is much heavy firing, as in a big grouse or partridge
drive, or a big covert shoot, it is in every way desirable
that the barrels should be at least " run through " some
time during the day. Clean barrels minimise any ten-
dency to "rebound," or create it where it does not
naturally exist. The procedure to be recommended
in cleaning a gun is the following : —

(1) Take the gun to pieces, and place the barrels

on a cloth.

(2) First clean the barrels with hot water, and run

over and through with tow.

(3) Put finest paraffin or Rangoon oil on clean tow

at the end of a rod, and run the barrels well
through.

(4) Run through the barrels again with clean soft tow.

(5) Coat the inside and outside of the barrels with

vaseline.
22

338 THE KEEPERS BOOK

(6) Remove all grease from barrels and chambers
before the gun be used.

In addition, the breech action should be carefully
inspected and wiped over with vaseline. The ribs and
the sides of the ejector part should be gone over with
a soft mop dipped in the same. A similar practice is
to be followed in the cleaning of a rifle. With the in-
troduction of cordite and other new powders, it is often
found necessary, especially in the cleaning of rifles, to use
some special preparation like Nitroclene, or Webleys
303, or Semper Idem.

When a gun or rifle is put away and not inspected
daily, the barrels should be covered with a mixture of
paraffin and neatsfoot, and the inside of the barrels
rubbed with the same mixture.

If there are signs of lead, this may be removed by
corking the bore at one end and filling it with spirits
of turpentine.

If a gun or rifle be very rusty, boiling water and
then paraffin may be used, care being taken to remove
the paraffin before the weapon is put away.

In addition to what has been said, the following
points may be noted : — (a) No keeper or loader should
interfere with springs, screws, etc. If the gun or rifle
goes out of order, he should inform the owner as to
the condition, and he will, unless he is himself an ex-
perienced mechanic, which is unlikely, send his weapon
to the maker ; (b) gun locks should never be cleaned
with thick oil, as this is apt to collect dirt and become

LOADERS 339

sticky, and so cause clogging ; (c) no paraffin should
be left wet on a gun, as it evaporates rapidly and causes
rust. Refined paraffin should be used. Instead of
paraffin, chronometer oil or refined neatsfoot has been
recommended. Care must be taken never to lay a gun
flat on the ground ; it should always lean against some-
thing solid and firm — muzzle upwards.

Every gunroom should have a card, hung or pasted
up, giving directions for the cleaning and the keeping
of guns and rifles. These cards should be supplied by
the gunmaker, and should have the following points in
large print : —

1 i ) All guns to be thoroughly wiped immediately

the shooting is over. (If the shooting is
some distance away from the gunroom they
should be wiped in the open.)

(2) All guns and rifles to be thoroughly cleaned and

freed from rust and lead as soon as possible
after they are brought to the gunroom.

(3) Wet guns should not be put in a warm place,

as this is apt to cause swelling and steam-
ing and rusting of locks.

(4) All injuries or inefficient working of any part

of guns or rifles to be reported at once to
the owners of the same.

(5) Great care should be taken that when a gun or

rifle is in the possession of keeper or loader,
it is not injured by falling or knocking against
anything that will damage it in any way.

340 THE KEEPERS BOOK

(6) If by any carelessness — for instance, by loading
with a cartridge that has fallen on the ground
— sand or grit gets into the breech or lock,
special care must be taken in cleaning, in
order not to scratch the mechanism.

Ammunition.

Note. — Cartridges are private property, as much
as a man's horse, dog, gun, or money.

NOTES

NOTES

CHAPTER XIX

THE GAMEKEEPER AS A FISHING GILLIE

.

By P. D. MALLOCH

WITH the space at my disposal it will be impossible for
me to exhaust the subject or do little more than mention
the principal duties of the fishing gillie.

River Salmon- Fishing from the Bank. — The first
duty of the gillie is to see that the river is properly
protected from poachers. Should there be no net
shots on the beat, the places which could be netted
ought to be protected ; this can usually be done,
and at little expense, by putting large boulders,
anchors, or stakes in the river. When pools are
thus protected, sweep netting, as a rule, will be pre-
vented, and trammel netting also, in part. The
latter method of netting is, however, difficult to put
a stop to.

A careful look-out should be kept for any signs of
trammel netting. If it be suspected that this method
of poaching is being carried on from a boat, the gillie
should observe if any scales of fish have been left in the
boat or on the bank.

A sharp look-out should be kept in the morning to

343

344 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

see that the pools are not fished before the owner comes
down to the water. There is nothing more annoying
to the angler than to find, from marks on the sand or
grass, that the pools have already been fished by a
poacher an hour or two before.

If the gillie is unable to keep watch in the morning,
he should stretch a few threads across the paths where
the poachers are likely to pass ; he will at once be able
to detect if any one has been on the paths since he was
last there. Should he find the threads broken he can
set a watch for the intruders.

The gillie should have a knowledge of the time when
the fish begin to run up, where and when they begin to
rest at different seasons ; the effects of snow water,
frost, and fresh water on their running ; and the time
the river will take in coming into ply after a flood, so
that he can advise the angler when his water is ready
to be fished.

The temperature of the water should be taken
daily. Much can be learned by doing this. When
a daily record of the temperature of the water is kept,
the gillie will have some idea what size of fly to re-
commend, and whether bait-fishing should be resorted
to or not.

A gillie who has an interest in his work will take
every opportunity of watching the river, the fish, and
the direction of the wind. He should also have a know-
ledge of all the pools and streams — their depth, the lie
of the fish, and the state of the river which suits the fish

344 WE KEEPER'S BOOK

pools are not fished before the comes

> the water. There is nothing more annoying
Angler than to find, from marks o and or

ss, that the pools have already been fished by a
poacher an hour or two before.

If the gillie is unable to keep watch in the morning,
he should stretch a few threads across the paths where
the poachers are likely to pass ; he will at once be able
to detect if any one has been on the paths since .he was
last there. Should he find the threads broken he can
set a watch for the intruders.

The gillie should have a knowledge of the time when
the fish begin to run up, where and when they begin to
rest at different seasons; the effects of snow water,
frost, and fresh water on their running ; and the time
the river will take in coming into ply after a flood, so
that he on the angler when his water is ready

to be

The temperature of the water sh
daily. Much can be learne When

a daily record of the tempera: the water is kept,

the gillie will have some idea what size of fly to re-
commend, and whether bait-fishing should be resorted
to or not.

A gillie who has an interest in his work will take
every opportunity of watching the river, the fish, and
the direction of the wind. He should also have
ledge of all the pools and streams — their depth, th
of i : 1 the suite of the river which >s fish

AS A FISHING GILLIE 345

best. This knowledge is most important, and by the
possession of it much of the angler's time can be saved.
To acquire this knowledge requires years of careful
observation on the part of the gillie, although much
valuable information may be got from older fishermen
who know the beats.

The gillie should discover the effect of the sun upon
the pools, the direction of the wind that catches certain
of them, and the best side from which the pool should
be fished.

When the river is low and out of ply the whole beat
should be carefully inspected, and all dangerous roots
and sticks, on which a fish might foul, should be
removed.

The croys, if any, should be repaired, the paths
along the banks put in order, and any parts of the banks
of pools looked to after a flood. As a rule, far too little
attention is given to these questions, with the result
that many fine pools become worthless. The clever
gillie does not need to be told this ; he is always think-
ing how he can improve his fishing by erecting a croy
at one point and another one on the opposite side, so
as to contract a wide part into a narrow part, and thus
form new pools and improve others, or by rolling a
stone into a pool to make a rest for the fish. This
week (20th October) I killed three salmon behind
a stone which a keeper rolled into a pool on the
river Earn two years ago, where no fish had rested
before.

346 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

Now I shall suppose that the gillie or keeper has
instructions to telegraph to his employer, or angler for
the time being, as the case may be, whether he should
come or not on the opening day. His employer has
never fished the water, or seen the keeper before.
The river is in order, and plenty of fish are showing,
and the keeper wires for his employer to come
down.

If arrangements have not been made as to the terms
on which the gillie is engaged, the angler ought to make
it his first duty on arriving at his beat to rectify the
omission. The wages should be fixed at so much per
week, to be paid fortnightly or monthly, as may be
arranged. When lunch is not provided, a money
payment is usually given instead. The arrangements
come to should be perfectly clear and definite, so as
to save any possible annoyance to either party after-
wards.

Before going to the river, the gillie should see the
tackle, rods, reels, lines, flies, casts, and baits which have
been provided for the fishing ; he will then be able to
advise as to the best length of rod, the most suitable
reel and line, cast, line, and fly in the stock, and what
will be sufficient to take out for the day. He should
not fail to see that there is a gaff, a suitable landing-
net, a bag to carry the fish, and a basket or bag for the
luncheon. It is the gillies duty to see that nothing is
left behind. He should run all the items over in his
mind before starting for the river. Perhaps by repeat-

AS A FISHING GILLIE 347

ing the following well-known rhyme he might assist
the memory : —

"Rods, reels, baskets,
Hooks, worms, flaskets." l

With regard to the last-mentioned article, the gillie
would do well to see that it contained no more spirits
than he could safely carry home. The gillie or keeper
who takes a drop more than he should do lowers him-
self more in the estimation of his employer than by
anything else I know of.

Having got to the river, the first thing to do is to
put up the rod, and then see that the reel fits tight,
and that the line is put through all the rings without
it being twisted round the rod. The gut cast should
be carefully soaked, and then fitted neatly to the main
line before the fly is attached. The cast and fly should
then be tested, and the rod handed to the angler, who
may then begin fishing.

The following remarks might be overheard at this
time, if one were within earshot of a well-trained gillie :
" Cast a short line to begin with, but when you get
down to that ripple, let out a few more yards ; that is

1 To modernise this old rhyme and make it so complete that it will
include gaff, baton, landing-nets, fly-books and cases, waterproofs and
luncheon, we suggest the following as being fairly comprehensive : —

"Rods, reels, and hooks,
Nets, bait, and baskets,
Gaff, baton, books,
Coats, lunch, and flaskets.'

348 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

where they usually come. From that part fish care-
fully down for another twenty yards ; we will then go
on to the next pool."

The angler begins to cast, and during the first half-
dozen casts there are anxious moments for the gillie.
He knows by that time whether his employer is an
experienced angler or not. He sees his employer is
casting straight across, and politely requests him to
" Cast a little straighter down, sir."

After a few more casts, something pulls down the
rod and the line begins to run out. After a run or two,
the fish shows itself to be a kelt. " Do not be particular
with him, sir," you remark.

The fish is brought bankwards as quickly as
possible. Instead of the gaff, the net is put under it
and pulled ashore. The hook is carefully extracted,
and the fish returned to the river with as much care as
possible. On no account should the gaffbe used. The
fly is examined to see that the tinsel has not been torn
by the kelt's long teeth.

Another start is made at the same place ; there is
another pull, and the reel sings out again. A livelier
fish this time, and he jumps into the air. " A spring
fish, sir ; be more careful." After a little time the fish
nears the shore. The gillie remains quiet, gaff, instead
of net, in hand this time. Several times the fish comes
within a few feet of the gaff, and as often rushes out into
the stream again. The next time it comes within reach
of the gillie, who puts the gaff quietly over the fish's

AS A FISHING GILLIE 349

back and pulls. The moment he does this he stands
erect, with the end of the gaff-handle pointing upwards,
and the fish hanging on the gaff hook. He then walks
quietly to a safe place, seizes the fish by the tail, takes
out the gaff, lays the fish on the ground, and gives it
three or four sharp knocks with his little baton ; ex-
tracts the fly, weighs the fish, carefully washes it, and
puts it away in the bag provided for the purpose. A
note of the weight is then recorded in his book. The
whole of this procedure should not take more than three
minutes, at the end of which time the angler is again
ready to begin.

He fishes down the pool, sees nothing more ; walks
on to the next pool, and is directed in the same way as
at the last. This pool is fished down without a rise,
and the gillie begins to think the fly is either too large
or too small, or is not of the right kind ; and advises
that a more sombre-coloured fly two sizes smaller should
be put on and the pool fished over again. This is done,
with the result that other two spring fish are added to
the bag. The angler by this time sees that the gillie
understands his work, and is accordingly willing to place
every confidence in him. The two become friends, and
the fishing turns out a success, being a source of pleasure
to the angler, and of profit to the gillie.

When the fishing is over the rod is taken down,
everything is carefully packed up and taken home.
The gillie unwinds the wet portion of the line on to a
line-drier, so that it may be thoroughly dried and ready

350 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

for use the next day. The flies which have been used '
should be dried before being put away. The waders
should be turned inside out and hung up to dry. The
wading-boots and worsted stockings should also be
thoroughly dried. Sometimes before looking after
these details the fish have to be carefully packed,
labelled, and sent away.

Before leaving, the time is arranged for starting
next day. Day after day passes in the same pleasant
way until the season is over.

What a contrast to the gillie who does not under-
stand his work ! He goes out in the morning with his
flasket filled to the top. When he gets to the riverside
he finds he has forgotten the reel, and has to walk or
run back a couple of miles to secure it, leaving the
angler on the river bank wasting the best hour of the
day. The gillie knows that a certain pool is a good
one, but does not know the exact spot where the fish
rise. He tells the angler to begin at the top and fish
to the bottom. Instead of fishing only fifteen yards, he
fishes three times that distance, when there is no real
chance of hooking a fish.

When a fish is hooked, this inexperienced gillie tells
the angler in a rough sort of way to hold up his rod, or
to hold it, as the case may be, down. By the time the
fish does come to land, he rushes up and down the side
of the river frightening it, and takes double the time
he ought to to bring it to the gaff. When a chance of
gaffing is offered him, he is sure to miss it.

AS A FISHING GILLIE 351

This stamp of gillie, to put it mildly, causes much
annoyance and displeasure to the angler.

River, Salmon- Fishing from a Boat. — In river
salmon-fishing from a boat the gillie's duty is to see that
before the anglers come out in the morning the boat is
brought up to its proper place, the water baled out, and
everything made clean and tidy, so that when the
anglers appear no time is lost before starting. There
should always be suitable landing-places for the boat
whatever the state of the river. Where the boat has
to be pulled up on to the riverside, the bushes should
be cut every year and the footpaths kept in order.

The boat should be taken quietly to the side of the
stream, sufficiently near for the angler to command it.
The quieter the boat is worked the better the sport
will be ; a boat always disturbs the water, although
many gillies think the contrary. I have many times
proved this. After a good angler has fished over the
water in a boat, I have often quietly waded in and
killed many fish ; so, Mr. Gillie, never go splashing
over the water, and on no account cross over a good
pool if it can be avoided. The boat should be held as
steady as possible. After every cast it should be let
down a yard, and no part of a good stream should be
missed.

If the stream is so broad that the angler cannot
command it from one side, both sides can be fished ; but
if too wide to be fished from both sides the boat should
be worked quietly first out and then in. When a rise

352 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

is got the boat should be pulled up a yard so that the
fish may get another chance of taking the fly : this is
easier said than done, as it is difficult to keep a boat in
the same place in a stream. A sharp look-out should be
kept for some bush, tree, or stone that may be on the
bank, and which may serve as a guide to keep the boat
in the exact spot required. When a fish is hooked,
never be in too great a hurry to get to the shore. As
a rule the fish will follow the boat. The angler will find
that the best way to get the fish out of the stream is to
hold his rod steady and not to wind in the reel. Should
a fish make a run, the boat should be stopped until it
settles down, then the gillie should pull towards the
shore, selecting a spot where the water is deepest as
the best place to land a fish. If possible, try to get the
fish up into the fished water, so that it will not disturb
the unfished water. When the shore is reached, do
not bump against it. If you do so, there is a danger
of your upsetting the angler. When sufficient line has
been taken in and the fish is under command, the seat
should be taken away and the angler allowed to land.
He should be told to keep well away from the bank, as
he will thereby run less risk of losing the fish. The
fish can be either worked towards the stern of the boat
and gaffed then, or worked towards the land and gaffed
from the shore. The gaff, by the bye, should be kept
as sharp as a needle.

An expertwill usually take the first chance of gaffing
the fish, as it comes within reach many times before it

AS A PISHING GILLIE 353

is played out. Some gaff the fish under, others over
the back, while others again gaff the fish in whatever
way opportunity presents. When gaffing over the back,
the gaff should be reached out, laid quietly over the
back fin, and pulled. The moment the fish is gaffed
the handle should be held perpendicular and the fish
lifted into the boat. Before removing the gaff the fish
should get three or four sharp knocks on the head with
the baton. The gaff can then be removed, the hook
extracted, the fish weighed, and a note taken of the
weight, then washed and laid in the bow of the boat.
Any blood in the latter should be carefully wiped up.
All this should not take more than three minutes. A
fish should never be gaffed near the head, as there is the
risk of gaffing the line instead of the fish.

In gaffing, the gillie should try to get within reach
of a fish as quickly as possible, but should never be in
a hurry in striking. When the right moment arrives
he must do it quietly and deliberately, not by raking
at the fish three or four times in quick succession. If
he does so he will be sure to make a mistake. The
number of fish which are lost at the gaffing is enormous.
I usually tell a man who has never used a gaff before
to put it over the fish's back and pull, and he usually
does it all right. The great thing is to keep perfectly
cool.

Fish which are caught with minnow or prawn should
always be gaffed. If landing-nets are used, the hooks
usually stick in the meshes and the weight of the fish
23

354 THE KEEPERS BOOK

breaks them. The fish should always be killed before
being laid down in the boat, or the hooks may stick in
the bottom of the boat and get broken. Grilse of small
size are difficult to gaff; they are much easier netted.
Salmon up to 40 Ib. can be netted, but over this weight
it is safer to use the gaff.

In netting, the net should be quietly put under the
fish, lifted up, and then pulled towards the shore. This
is infinitely better than lifting it clear of the water and
bringing the whole weight of the fish on the net. The
great thing to remember is to get the head of the fish
away from the side of the net before lifting. If this is
not done the hooks are apt to catch in the net, the head
does not get down, the tail part falls over the ring, the
fish is outside, the hooks are attached to the net, there
are one or two wriggles, and the fish is gone. A gillie
should never attempt to net or gaff a fish while wearing
white sleeves, nor run up and down after a fish ; he
should rather wait quietly in one place and reach out
the gaff when the fish passes him. Many a time when
alone I have dirtied the water by stirring up the mud
at the side with my feet ; when the fish has been guided
into the muddy water it cannot see any one, and the
gillie is therefore quite safe in walking in and gafBng it.

Another opportunity of gafBng a fish may be
obtained when the fish's head is out of the water, for
in that position it cannot see. If both the gaff and net
have been accidentally left behind, the best way of land-
ing a fish is by first tiring it out and getting it to turn

AS A FISHING GILLIE 355

on its side. It can then be pulled up into shallow water.
A very large fish can be pulled up in this fashion.
Every time it moves a little pressure is put on, and in
this way it can be brought on to the gravel and gradually
landed high and dry. The gillie may then go forward
and catch it by the tail, and push it farther up or lift
it on to the bank.

Harling a River from a Boat. — This method of
fishing is only resorted to on large rivers where the pools
cannot be conveniently fished from either bank. It is
done by placing two or three rods in the stern of the
boat, one at each side and another in the centre. A
fly is attached to each rod, a minnow sometimes being
substituted for one of the flies. From twenty to forty
yards of line are let out from each reel. Two gillies
row the boat from one side to the other, dropping down
a yard or two at a time.

To be successful, the gillie must have a knowledge
of the river in its different heights. He must also be
able to tell the angler the proper length of line to put.
out, the bait line always being a yard or two shorter
than those with flies, and the proper kind and size of
flies to use. The gillie must also know the proper
angle at which to keep the boat, so that the lines and
flies may be kept in correct position. In turning, the
boat should be brought slowly round so as to give the
flies plenty of time to turn. Observant gillies who take
an interest in their work always excel in this style of
fishing.

356 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

Trolling or Salmon Minnow -Fishing from a Boat.
— In this method of fishing the gillie's duty is to find
out which parts of the loch the fish frequent ; the
different depths of the loch, so as to avoid fouling in
the bottom or coming against hidden rocks ; the kinds
of bait to use (and to see that they spin properly) ; the
proper length of line to put out ; the correct weight
of lead to put on the trace ; and the direction of wind
which affects certain parts of the loch. He must also
know how to take the bait over a fish which has been
seen to rise, without taking the boat over the place and
disturbing the fish. Care should be taken to row
sufficiently fast so as to make the bait spin. When
a fish is hooked, the boat should not be pulled all over
the loch. Many gillies are never content unless they
follow that bad practice, and they sometimes kill a fish
a mile away from where it was hooked, thereby wasting
valuable time and disturbing the water for the chance
of other fish.

Trout- Fishing from a Boat in a Loch. — In Scotland
more gillies and keepers are employed at this style of
fishing than any other. The angler depends on them
for his sport and pleasure. As a rule, the sport is pro-
portionate to the knowledge of the gillie. The gillie's
duty is to obtain a perfect knowledge of every part of
the loch, its deeps, shallows, and bays, and the places
where trout frequent at different seasons. He should
know at all times where he is, the depth of water he is
fishing, the nature of the bottom — whether gravel, rocks,

AS A FISHING GILLIE 357

mud, etc. — the places and time of day the flies hatch
out, the direction of winds that suit the different places,
the effects of cold and heat, sunshine and shade, the
different kinds of flies — whether strong or fine tackle
should be used — how to keep the boat to the wave in
drifting, whether the bow or stern should point to a
certain direction, and whether the boat is drifting too
fast or too slow.

If there be only one angler in the boat, the gillie
should be able to advise which end he should fish from,
and whether it would be better to row the boat instead
of allowing it to drift. All these points should be care-
fully studied and mastered before the gillie can be said
to be an experienced one. When a trout is hooked,
the net should be quietly put under it and then lifted
out, the fish being caught with one hand, and the hook
extracted with the other. The fish should then be
knocked on the head, as nothing is more disgusting
than to have a trout half-dead wriggling about in the
basket.

There is a great art in taking out a hook ; those
who know how to do it can extract it very quickly
without bending the iron or breaking the barb or
destroying the fly. The cast and hooks will often get
entangled, but the experienced gillie, with one or two
shakes, will be able usually to set them free. These
are some of the principal points the experienced angler
depends on for filling his basket.

A clever gillie is always sought after. He is

358 THE KEEPERS BOOK

usually an agreeable and pleasant companion. I know
of such a gillie. One I have in my mind I have known
for upwards of thirty years. I considered he was the
means of adding 10 Ib. daily to my basket. He is far
and away the cleverest gillie I have ever had. The
way in which he lands a trout, extracts the hook, and
unravels the cast is simply marvellous, the time he takes
being little longer than it takes to make a cast. The
way he will row to the centre of a loch and turn round
the boat within thirty yards of a sunken island requires
to be seen to be believed. This gillie is worth double
the usual wage, and I am quite sure he gets it.

The worst enemy the gillie has to contend with is
drink. It is very unkind of an angler to give his gillie
more than is good for him. I dare say I employ more
gillies than any man in Scotland. I always impress
upon them never to make complaints or grumble to the
anglers they are attending upon who come for sport
and pleasure. The more they are assisted in the habits
of temperance the better it is for all concerned.

Note on the Improvement of Loch-Fishings

It is in every way desirable for the improvement of
loch-fishings to attend to the following points : —

Throughout the autumn and winter, keepers and
gillies usually have abundance of spare time, and are at
a loss how best to employ it. To such I would strongly
advise turning their attention to the stocking and im-
proving of any lochs that may occur on their employers'

AS A FISHING GILLIE 359

estate. All over Scotland there are lochs and streams
containing far too many trout, and others again with few
or none. To remedy these defects is, to the intelligent
gillie, a most interesting and fascinating work and a
source of pleasure and profit to his employer. How
pleasant to tell your master you introduced forty or fifty
small trout into a small lake of his not more than two
acres in extent four years previously, and now he can see
them for himself rising of a summer evening like minia-
ture salmon. Excitement takes possession of him and
he is not content until an opportunity presents itself of
his casting over them. Then, O what joy, when a
dozen lusty fellows from 3 to 5 Ib. grace his basket !
The puny little loch once his pet aversion, now a joy
to all, and none more so, than to the gillie who had
taken the trouble to stock it.

The gillie must not, however, lose sight of the fact
that where there is no spawning ground he cannot
expect to maintain a stock unless he keeps on making
up the numbers by introducing others. If none be
added to make up the deficiency, in a short space of
time most will have disappeared, as the life of a trout
does not exceed more than from seven to eight years.

When trout are introduced into a loch for the first
time, the feeding is generally so rich that they grow
very rapidly. Most lochs, if not too deep, can sustain
from 100 to 200 trout per acre, so that when only
20 to the acre are introduced they have more than
sufficient food and quickly increase in size.

360 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

Every gillie should have a large landing net and
pail to carry trout from one place to another. By net-
ting the small streams 1000 trout can often be caught
in a day and distributed over several small lochs and
allowed to grow at their own sweet will. On reaching
from \\ Ib. upwards they will give capital sport to
several rods for a whole season. Much can be done
in this way, whilst other lochs containing too many trout
and too small to give sport, can be netted and trans-
ported to another, or the spawning-ground can be
curtailed, when their numbers will soon be lessened.

On many occasions I have known anglers capture
a score of small trout with rod and line and carry them
to some other troutless loch, and in after years re-
capture them of a takable size. This is a slow process,
but answers the purpose quite well, and serves to show
what can be done in this primitive way. Lochs that
are too shallow can be deepened by raising the outlet
by means of a few stones. An hour or two spent at
this is often the means of opening up many acres of
fishing-ground, formerly covered with weeds. Other
lochs of too deep a nature for producing food can be
made shallower by deepening the outlet, little falls can
often be blasted and allow of trout entering a loch.
Many other points will occur to the observant gillie,
which he should bring to the notice of his employer.
I know of no other branch of sport that is so much
neglected as the care of and improving of trout-
fishing.

AS A FISHING GILLIE 361

Proprietors put themselves to no end of trouble to
obtain an extra brace of grouse, but pay no attention
whatever to trout, which are equally valuable.

Hotel-keepers come under the same category ; they
will take every trout they can out of their lochs, without
ever giving one single thought to restocking them.

NOTES

CHAPTER XX
SOME BROAD FACTS IN ANGLING LAW

By HENRY LAMOND
(Secretary of the Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association)

IT would be absurd to attempt to comprise within a
single brief chapter a compendium of the law of fishing
in Scotland, if at the same time one were expected to
advance reasons and authority for each proposition
stated. Proprietors and their keepers, or fish watchers,
however, need never be at a loss on any given point if
the country-house library contains, as it ought to do,
Stewart's Treatise on the Law of Scotland relating to
Rights of Fishing •, and Tait's useful book on The Law
of Scotland on the Game Laws, Trout, and Salmon-
Fishing. In both of these care must be taken to dis-
tinguish between what has actually, in recently decided
cases, been found to be law and what is merely the
author's opinion. A useful feature of these books is
that they give as appendices the Salmon Fishery Acts
from 1828 to 1868 as well as the Trout Acts of 1845
and 1860, but not the recent Trout Act of 1902.
With these Acts every fish watcher should be familiar,

because it will add much to the value of his services

363

364 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

if he has made an intelligent study of them. Not only
so, but besides giving him, or indeed any keeper, con-
fidence in his work, it is safe to say that friction and
misunderstanding will be absent from a neighbourhood
where rights are clearly understood and equitably
insisted on. The aid of his legal adviser must of course
be invoked by a proprietor before actions of interdict
regarding fishing, pollution, or rights of way are thought
of, or even before poaching prosecutions are contem-
plated, but the following brief notes may be of guidance
in an emergency, or may help to support an argument.

I. SALMON

Legal Definition

By statute the word " salmon " means and includes
" salmon, grilse, sea- trout, bull trout, smolts, parr, and
other migratory fish of the salmon kind" (1862 Act,
Section 2), and in this comprehensive sense the word
is here used.

Public Rights

There is no public right of salmon-fishing in Scot-
land, either in salt water round the shores or in fresh
water. Where the right is not in the hands of a private
proprietor it is vested in the Crown, and administered,
or neglected, by the Department of the Commissioners
of Woods and Forests. Hence any person fishing for
salmon, whether by net, or by rod and line, without

SOME BROAD FACTS IN ANGLING LAW 365

a title, or without express written permission from one
who has a title, is, in the eye of the law, a poacher and
liable to be prosecuted. (1844 Act, Section i.)

Private Rights

These are too involved to permit of a useful sum-
mary being given.

Close Times

These vary in different localities. The foundation
for them is Schedule C annexed to the 1868 Act, but
several alterations have since been made, under powers
contained in that Act, on petition by District Fishery
Boards to the Secretary for Scotland. The appended
Table (see p. 380) gives a compendium of the close
times for the whole of Scotland as in force at January

1910.

Exercise of the Right

Apart from some few survivals of an ancient time,
the result of special Border legislation, the only legal
means of netting salmon within rivers and estuaries
is by " net and coble," and also, of course, by a land-
ing net used as an adjunct to rod and line. The limits
of all estuaries are laid down in Schedule B annexed
to the 1868 Act. The legal mesh of a salmon net is
not less than " if in. in extension from knot to knot,
measured on each side of the square, or 7 in. measured
round each mesh when wet"; while any device, such as
placing two nets together, intended to diminish the
mesh, is illegal. (Schedule E, 1868 Act.) The centre

366 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

of each knot, it has been decided, may be taken as the
basis of measurement.

Poaching and Illegal Practices and Tackle

The following may serve as a rough guide to the
numerous offences specified in the various Salmon Acts.
It is illegal under —

1. The Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act, 1828. —

1. To trespass in any ground, enclosed or un-

enclosed, or any river or estuary, with
intent to kill salmon. (Section 3.)

2. To break the law regarding cruives laid down

in the 1877 Act; i.e. to let the hecks
remain shut during Saturday's slop, or
have them measure less than 3 in. wide.
(Section 7.)

2. The Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act, 1844. —
To take, fish for, or attempt to take salmon in all in-
land waters which salmon frequent, or in any estuary,
firth, sea loch, creek, bay, or shore of the sea, or any
part of the sea within one mile of low-water mark, or
to assist others in doing so, without having a legal
right or permission from the proprietor of the salmon
fishery to do so. (Section i.)

3. The Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act, 1862. —
i. To put into a salmon river any poisonous or

deleterious liquid or solid matter to an
extent injurious to the fishery, failing proof
(open only to persons having a prescriptive

SOME BROAD FACTS IN ANGLING LAW 367

right to pollute) of having used beforehand
the best practical means, within a reason-
able cost, to dispose of or render it harm-
less. (Section 13.)

2. For three or more persons acting in concert, at
any time between one hour after sunset and
one hour before sunrise, to enter or be found
upon any ground near a river, estuary, or
the sea, or actually upon these waters,
with intent to kill salmon, or to have in
possession any net, rod, spear, light, or
other instrument for that purpose, or to
engage in, attempt, or aid in doing so.
(Section 27.)

4. The Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act, 1863. —
To export unclean or unseasonable salmon, or salmon
caught in a district during the time at which the sale
of salmon is prohibited within the district. (Section 3,
and 1868 Act, Sections 21 and 22.)

5. The Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act, 1868. —
i. (i) To catch salmon otherwise than by rod

and line during the annual close time
for nets.

(2) To catch salmon (except during Saturday
or Monday by rod and line) during the
weekly close time, or to contravene any
bye-law in force regarding its observ-
ance. Note. — This makes Sunday
rod-fishing for salmon illegal.

368 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

(3) To catch salmon by rod and line during

the annual close time at a period not
authorised by bye-law. (Schedule C)

(4) To fish for salmon with a net of illegal

mesh. (Schedule E.)

(5) To intercept salmon when leaping at an

obstruction, or when falling back after
leaping.

(6) To prevent salmon passing through a fish

pass, or to take them in the passage
through.

(7) To put sawdust, chaff, or shelling of corn

into a river.

(8) To contravene any bye-law. (Section 25.)

Note. — In each of the above offences,
attempting, or assisting, is also punish-
able as an offence.

2. To use any light or fire of any kind, or any

spear, leister, gaff, or other like in-
strument, or otter, to catch salmon, or to
have such articles in possession under
suspicious circumstances; excepting a gaff
used in angling with rod and line.
(Section 17.)

3. To fish with any fish roe ; or to buy, sell, or

expose salmon roe for sale ; or to have it in
possession ; excepting its use for artificial
propagation or other reason satisfactory to
the Court. (Section 18.)

SOME BROAD FACTS IN ANGLING LAW 369

4. To take smolts or salmon fry : or to buy, sell,

or expose them for sale ; or to have them
in possession ; or to place any device or
engine to obstruct their passage ; or wil-
fully to injure them ; or to injure or disturb
salmon spawn ; or to disturb any spawning
bed in which spawn may be ; or, during
the annual close time, to obstruct salmon
in their passage to the spawning beds ; ex-
cepting for artificial propagation or scientific
purposes, cleaning or repairing a dam or
mill lade, or exercising a right of property
in the bed of the stream. (Section 19.)

5. To take, fish for, or attempt to take, unclean

or unseasonable salmon, or assist in doing
so ; or to buy, sell, or expose them for sale ;
or to have them in possession ; excepting
such as may be accidentally taken when
fishing if the same be forthwith returned to
the water with the least possible injury ;
and excepting those taken for artificial pro-
pagation or scientific purposes. (Section

20.)

6. To buy, sell, or expose for sale, or have in

possession salmon taken between the com-
mencement of the latest and the termina-
tion of the earliest annual close time in force
for any district. (Sections 21 and 22, and
1863 Act, Section 3.)
24

370 THE KEEPERS BOOK

7. For proprietor or occupier of a fishery within

thirty-six hours after the commencement
of the annual close time, to fail to remove,
and effectually secure against being used,
all boats, oars, nets, engines, and tackle ; ex-
cepting angling boats and oars, family boats
and ferry boats identified by owner's name
and kept under lock and key when not in
use ; and for the proprietor or occupier of
a cruive within the same time to fail to re-
move and secure all hecks, rails, and in-
scales, and all temporary obstructions.
(Section 23.)

8. For a proprietor or tacksman of fixed nets to

evade the bye-laws regarding the observ-
ance of a weekly close time. (Section 24.)
Powers of Keepers and Water Bailiffs. — To be
dignified when courtesy is out of place, to be angry
without loss of temper, and to use force without violence,
is instinctive with a first-class keeper. He must read
the Acts to understand the extent of his powers. In
these, it will be observed, there are three classes of
guardians of the law referred to, viz. — (i) private
individuals, the " any persons " of the Acts, (2) officers
and authorised employees of District Fishery Boards,
and (3) police officers.

i. Unless he be in service of a District Board,
the keeper or fish watcher has no higher
powers than any man in the street and must

SOME BROAD FACTS IN ANGLING LAW 371

comport himself accordingly. The Acts
make some exceptions, however. Section
1 1 of the 1828 Act makes it lawful for any
person, without other authority than the
Act itself, brevi manu to seize and detain
an offender — the offence under Section 3
being apparently contemplated. Having
seized him he may carry the offender before
a Justice of the Peace or other magistrate,
or hand him over to a police constable to do
so, when he will be further dealt with as the
Act prescribes.1 Section i of the 1844 Act
gives similar powers to any person who may
further seize the fish, boat, tackle, and nets
of the poacher. The watcher has no right
of search unless he be an employee of a
District Board or a police officer. Finally,
Section 29 of the 1868 Act gives similar
powers to the private watcher to seize
offenders against the first six subdivisions
of Section 15, and Sections 17, 18, 19, 20,
21, and 22 of the Act.

2. Employees of District Boards are statutory

officers and have statutory powers which
the Acts make clear.

3. Police officers, although specially authorised

by the Acts, to take certain steps in certain

1 Brevi manu^ though it means coming to grips, does not excuse a
violent attack.

372 THE KEEPERS BOOK

cases, will as a general rule be found willing
to extend a helping hand to maintain law
and order when occasion arises. They are
not bound to originate plans of campaign
against poachers, but ought to act when
flagrant cases come under their notice.
The Fishmongers Company of 'London.— -No other
organisation has done so much to conserve our Scottish
salmon fisheries. In general, but specially in cases
where there is no District Fishery Board, the Company
or its local solicitor, being "any person " in the sense
of the Acts, will prosecute offenders. It is requested
that information as to offenders may be sent in con-
fidence to the Clerk, Mr. J. Wrench Towse, 24
Charlotte Square, Edinburgh, or Fishmongers Hall,
London.

II. TROUT

Legal Definition

In the latest statute the legal expression used is
" the common trout, salmo fario " (1902 Act, Section i ),
but the definition has been held to include Loch Leven
trout, salmo levenensis, in a Sheriff Court case.

Public and Private Rights

i. The Public. — There is no public right of trout-
fishing in Scotland, except in navigable rivers so far
up only as the tide ebbs and flows, and in those few

SOME BROAD FACTS IN ANGLING LAW 373

fresh- water lochs which are at once tidal and navigable.
The right belongs exclusively to proprietors of lands
adjoining the fishing, and neither the custom of
fishing for any length of time, nor lawful access to
the water by boat, bridge, ford, ferry, right of way,
or otherwise, will give to the public a right to fish for
trout.

2. Tenants. — Apart from agreement, an agricultural
tenant has no right to fish for trout in respect of
his lease. On the other hand, the lessee of the
salmon fishings, if any, has an implied right to fish for
trout.

3. Private Proprietors. — As between proprietors
the following broad rules obtain according to Scottish
law, and an intelligent keeper, or fish watcher, will keep
them in view in order to protect his employer's interests,
or at least to escape causing needless friction between
neighbours.

(i) Private Rivers. — A private river, as regards
trout-fishing, is one in which the proprietors
may exclude the public from fishing. That
is, all those except such as are at once tidal
and navigable, and only in so far as they are
so. Where a river intersects one proprietor's
lands, he alone has the right to fish in it for
trout. Where the river is the boundary of
opposite proprietors' lands the law declares
(apart from title, which may rule otherwise)
that the centre of the stream is the boundary.

374 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

Each proprietor may wade to the centre, fish-
ing from his own bank, but the Court has
expressed an opinion that from the practical
difficulty of doing otherwise he need not con-
fine his casting radius to his own side of the
water. In a river there is an interest in the
trout, as in the water itself, common to upper
and lower proprietors. The exclusive right
of property mentioned is in the right to fish,
not in the trout itself, which is a fera natura
and belongs to the catcher, unless — (i) it be
taken from a pond, stank, or artificially
stocked reservoir, when it is theft to take it,
or (2) it is forfeited by statute.
(2) Private Lochs. — A loch is private where the
proprietor or proprietors may vindicate their
right to fish for trout as against the public,
that is, every loch which is not both navi-
gable and tidal. If a loch be situated wholly
within the lands of one proprietor, he alone
has the right of trout-fishing in it. If the loch
verge upon the lands of two or more pro-
prietors, they have an equal right of fishing
over the whole surface irrespective of the
extent of their foreshores. U nless restricted
by the Court — no instance of which has yet
occurred — each proprietor may communicate
his right of fishing to an indefinite number
of persons, and put upon it an indefinite

SOME BROAD FACTS IN ANGLING LAW 375

number of boats. The right to land, how-
ever, is confined, as regards proprietors and
those to whom they have given permission
to fish, each to his own shores.

(3) Public Rivers. — A river is only public as regards

trout-fishing to the extent that the public may
fish in it for trout, flounders, and other float-
ing fish, except salmon, as far up as it is both
tidal and navigable. In this sense it is not
public where it is only tidal, or where it is
only navigable, and in these cases the rules
of fishing applicable to private rivers apply.
The " publicity " of a non-tidal navigable
river consists in a mere right of passage by
boat on the surface of the water, and gives no
public right to the water, or its inhabitants,
or the solum. Where a river is tidal and
navigable, it, and its solum (broadly speak-
ing), is vested in the Crown for behoof
of the public's right of free navigation
and white fishing, which is the sole basis of
any right of trout-fishing which the public
possesses.

(4) Public Locks. — On legal principle alone, no

lochs in Scotland, except such as are both
tidal and navigable, can be held to be public
as regards trout-fishing. Where they are not
at the same time tidal, access to them either
by a navigable river, or by a canal, will not

376 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

confer a right of trout-fishing on the public,
whose right is no higher than in the case of
a non-tidal navigable river. It is right to
warn inquirers that Stewart in his book
makes some very misleading observations on
this subject, through a failure on his part to
make clear the exact extent of the rights of
the public in a navigable river.
Close Time. — This extends from the i5th day of
October to the 28th day of February, both dates in-
clusive. (1902 Act, Section i.)

Poaching and Illegal Practices and Tackle

1. Act of Scots Parliament, James vi., 1607. — It is
theftunder this old Act to take trout from a stank or pond.

Note. — A prosecution under it was upheld by the
Court of Justiciary in the case of a reservoir artificially
stocked with trout, December 1909.

2. The Trout (Scotland) Act, 1845. — It is illegal
under this Act for any person (other than proprietors
or those having their written permission) —

(1) To net trout or other fresh-water fish in any

river, water, or loch, or to attempt to do so,
or aid or assist in doing so or attempting
to do so. (Section i.)

(2) To trespass upon any ground, enclosed or un-

enclosed, or any river, water, or loch with
intent to net trout or other fresh-water fish.
(Section 2.)

Tli

confer of trout-fishing on th

right is no higher than in the
on-tidal navigable river. It is right to
warn inquirers that Stewart in his book
makes some very misleading observations on
this subject, through a failure on his part to
make clear the exact extent of the rights of
the public in a navigable river.
Close Time. — This extends from the 15th day of
October to the 2 8th day of February, both dates in-
clusive. (1902 Act, Section i.)

Poaching and Illegal Practices and Tackle
\. Act of Scots Parliament, James vi., 1 607 . — It is

theftunder this old Act to take trout from a stank or pond.
Note. — A tion under it was upheld by the

Court of justiciary in the case of a reservoir artificially

stocked with trout, December 1909.

3. Tkc Trout (Scotland 1845.— It is iii

under this Act for any person (other than proprietors

or those having their written permission) —

(1) To net trout or other fresh-water fish in any

river, water, or loch, or to attempt to do so,
or aid or assist in doing so or attempting
to do so. (Section i.)

(2) To trespass upon any ground, enclosed or un-

enclosed, or any river, water, or loch with
intent to net trout or other fresh-water
(Section 2.)

SOME BROAD FACTS IN ANGLING LAW 377

3. The Trout (Scotland] Act, 1860.— It is illegal
under this Act for any person (other than the proprietors
or those having permission) —

(1) To net trout or other fresh-water fish, or to fish

for them by double rod fishing, or cross line
fishing, or set lines, or otter fishing, or burn-
ing the water, or by striking the fish with any
instrument, or by pointing, or to put into the
water lime or any other substance destructive
to them with intent to destroy them, or to
attempt to do so, or aid in doing so, or
attempting to do so. (Section i.)
Note. — It has been held in two Sheriff Court cases

that a rod mounted with worm tackle fixed to the bank

of a loch is a set line.

(2) To trespass upon any ground enclosed or un-

enclosed, or any river, water, or loch, with
intent to commit any of the above offences.
(Section 2.)

4. The Fresh-Water Fish (Scotland) Act, 1902,
makes it illegal —

( i ) (a) To fish for or take trout in any river, water,
or loch in Scotland by net, rod, line,
or otherwise ; or (b) have possession of
trout ; or (c) expose trout for sale during
the close time. The Section excepts
operations for artificial rearing and sale
for restocking ; but sale of dead trout
or live trout from waters where they

378 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

are reared or kept in captivity for food
during the close time is prohibited.
(Section i.)

(2) For proprietors, or those having written per-

mission to fish, to do any of the acts made
illegal for other persons by the 1 860 Act ;
except — ( i ) that all the proprietors of a pond
or loch may agree to net " trout," and (2) that
a net may be used for scientific, breeding, or
restocking purposes. (Section 2.)

(3) To use or attempt to use dynamite or other

explosive to catch or destroy "fish" in any
river, water, or loch. (Section 3.)

Powers of Keepers and Water Bailiffs

Keeping in view previous general remarks when
considering the Salmon Acts, it may suffice to say
generally that one may take any lawful steps to protect
one's property. The 1845 Act (Section 4), however,
gives to any person, without other authority than the
Act, a right brevi manu to seize offenders against the
Act and carry them before a Sheriff or Justice of the
Peace, or hand them over to the police to be summarily
dealt with. Power to seize boat, net, and fish is also
given. The 1860 Act (Section 3) gives power only
to proprietors, and to any persons authorised by them,
to seize boats, nets, and other tackle used in contraven-
ing that Act, and any fish taken. Both these Acts are
to be read along with the 1902 Act in all matters not

SOME BROAD FACTS IN ANGLING LAW 379

inconsistent with the latter. It is usually the Pro-
curator-Fiscal who prosecutes under the 1902 Act;
but any person " having an interest " may do so.

III. COARSE FISH

There are no special legal restrictions in Scotland
as to the capture of coarse fish, and it is doubtful whether
the prohibitions as to their capture by net or otherwise,
as in the case of common trout, apply to them. There
seems to be no direct decision on the point. The 1902
Act, however, makes it illegal to kill them with ex-
plosives.

There is no close time for such fish in Scotland.

As in the case of common trout, the right to fish
for them belongs to the proprietors adjoining the
waters in which they exist, except where the tide ebbs
and flows in a navigable river or loch, in which case the
public may fish for them without challenge.

THE KEEPERS BOOK

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NOTES

NOTES

CHAPTER XXI

THE ROD IN SALT WATER

By F. G. AFLALO

THESE notes on sea-angling for sport are intended to be
helpful to the gillie. Whether they prove so will depend
more on the gillie than on the notes. His general
duties have been admirably summarised in the earlier
chapter written by Mr. Malloch. But the case of sea-
fishing is somewhat different from the duties which he
had under review. Sea-fishing is a comparatively new
sport — it is not much more than a quarter of a century
old — and has not yet been reduced to the same exact
science as some other kinds of angling. Among many
advantages it is at its best in those weeks of July which
precede activity on the moors. Now, gillies who take
sportsmen after salmon or trout know their work more
or less (occasionally less), and he is a bold man who tells
them their own business. I have had gillies in both
hemispheres and five continents : garrulous Greeks,
imperturbable Moslems, lazy Spaniards, independent
Yankees, merry Basques, blasphemous French-
Canadians, but only one Scotchman. He was really

a gamekeeper, and he once as good as told me I was

383

384 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

a fool. I have rather cherished the memory of his red
beard and beady eyes ever since. As a seeker after
truth, he had not his equal in the whole boiling of them.

If the sportsman on whom the gillie is in attendance
knows what he is about, then the gillie's job is simple :
he merely has to do as he is told, handling the boat or
gaffing the fish as directed. There are, of course, gillies
who do not find doing as they are told very easy.
They always think they know better than their
employer. Sometimes they are right, but even so, I
always make it clear, in a quite friendly manner, that I
am fishing for my pleasure, not for theirs.

For convenience of division, the subject will be dealt
with under the heads of fish, tackle, bait, and general
hints, with such incidental notes on various matters as
may suggest themselves.

(i ) The Fish^ — The colder seas of Europe are not
the best in the world for fishing, for, unlike the salmon
and trout, the most sporting salt-water fishes grow to
the largest size in warm latitudes. I have caught bass
of 17 lb. in Turkey, and tarpon upwards of 100 Ib. in
Florida, but nothing in British seas of more than 30 lb.,
and that was a shark. Even within the limits of these
islands this difference is appreciable, and the bass and
grey mullet, two of the gamest sea-fish, are finer and

1 Having only fished off Taynuilt and elsewhere in Loch Etive, I
have been guided, as regards the west coast of Scotland, by the admirable
Fauna of the Outer Hebrides > by Harvie Brown and Buckley (David
Douglas, 1898), a work that is now out of print, like some others of the
same excellent series.

THE ROD IN SALT WATER 385

more plentiful in the English Channel than in Scotch
waters, where the best of the fishing is for lythe and
saithe, or, as they are called in England, pollack and
coalfish. Indeed, in these colder seas, the fishes of the
cod family are the most conspicuous, including the
aforesaid lythe and saithe, the cod, haddock, whiting, and
torsk. The last four are ground-feeding fish, and must
be caught from piers or anchored boats, with the bait
on or near the bottom. The cod and whiting are widely
distributed, but the haddock (like the hake, a larger
cousin) is "uncertain, coy, and hard to please," and
comes and goes without why or wherefore. These
fishes are almost too familiar to need description. The
heavy-looking cod, brown on the back and white be-
neath, with a little beard on the lower jaw ; the haddock,
with the black mark on its shoulders and the family
beard ; the whiting, smaller and more silvery, and
beardless ; and, in all, the line along the sides showing
plainly, white on the cod, black on the others, and very
marked in the haddock. The lythe and saithe (English :
pollack and coalfish) are predatory fish, and they stand
in relation to the more ponderous cod and torsk as the
eagle to the buzzard. They readily seize a moving bait
near the surface (even a large fly or bright spinner will
take them), so that they are best caught by casting from
the rocks or by trailing the baits behind a boat. They
bear some resemblance, but the saithe is blue rather
than green and has a small beard, which is missing in
the other. Both these fish abound on all rocky ground
25

386 THE KEEPERS BOOK

all round these islands, but the saithe is most plentiful
in Scotch waters, and dwindles in numbers as we go
south, whereas the pollack is as plentiful in the English
Channel as anywhere. Three other members of the cod
family call for passing mention. Of these, the hake and
ling grow to a great size, while the pout, or " rock whit-
ing," rarely exceeds 5 Ib. The hake is a long grey fish,
with formidable teeth and no beard. It grows to a
weight of 25 Ib., and is found in pursuit of the herring.
The ling, which is still more elongated, and not unlike
a conger with a beard, grows to a 100 Ib. weight, and
has probably the heartiest and most accommodating
appetite of all our British fishes, and even swallows such
dainty morsels as halibuts and sharks. Nor is there
any immediate fear of the species dying out, for a full-
grown female has been found to contain 100,000,000
eggs!

The mackerel is one of the gamest fish in our seas.
Only its small size is against it. If it grew as big as
ling or lythe, there would be no need to go to California
for tuna. But as it rarely exceeds 4 Ib., only the
lightest of rods and tackle should be used when
mackerel are to be caught for sport. Catching them for
the market is another matter, and either drift-nets or
handlines must be employed. It is for sport that the use
of light tackle is advocated, and not, as for bass and grey
mullet, because it is more likely to deceive the fish, for
mackerel will take almost any bait, and, when in the
mood to feed, almost any tackle. As they do not like

THE ROD IN SALT WATER 387

the temperature of the water to fall much below 45° F.,
they are more plentiful in the English Channel than
farther north, but they are to be found all round the
Scotch coasts, and the absence of a fishery on the west
side is not their fault, but that of the fishermen.

There are several kinds of flatfish which give the
angler sport — plaice, dabs, and flounders are the chief.
The plaice is known by its red spots, the dab by its
rough scales, and the flounder by its dark markings and
a few rough scales along the curved " lateral line." All
three feed on the sand, where they may be caught with
fine tackle and small hooks baited with sandworms or
mussel. Two of the larger flatfish, turbot and halibut,
are also occasionally caught by amateur fishermen.
Turbot occur in the more southern waters of Britain and
rarely exceed 25 Ib. They have rough scales on the
dark or upper side, and feed on small fish or shellfish.
Halibut (which in many parts of Scotland are known as
" turbot ") grow to a weight of 200 or 300 Ib., and are
caught by sportsmen at several places on the Irish coast,
notably at Ballycotton.

The gurnards, also ground-feeders, are easily recog-
nised by their grotesque heads, as well as, in some of
the kinds, by their brilliant colouring, with various com-
binations of blue and scarlet that make them, with the
wrasses, the smartest fish of our seas, which do not
favour such gay attire as those of the tropics. Properly
cooked, the gurnards are good table fish, but he is an
emotional sportsman who can find much pleasure in

388 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

catching them. The best sport I ever had with these
fish was in a little backwater of the Gulf of Ismidt, in
Asia Minor. The water was so still and clear that, even
in three or four fathoms, one could see the great scarlet
gurnards crawling slowly over the bottom, and a bait
dropped in front of their nose on a single gut line, with
a light rod, was instantly seized, and a few moments of
fair sport would result. So, later in the day, would a
baked gurnard.

Both bass and grey mullet — I bracket them merely
as our most sporting marine fish, and not for any family
connection — occur on the west coast of Scotland, and
of large size, but the English Channel is their true home
in these islands, as they are Mediterranean forms. The
bass is a handsome, silvery, perchlike fish, with a big
head and prickly fins. The mullet, also silvery and less
like a perch, has a small head and mouth and softer fins.

They differ much in their habits, except that both
are fond of the mouths of rivers and of haunting piers
and docks for the food they find there. The bass, how-
ever, is a predatory fish, chasing the sandeels and other
fry, and therefore seizing moving baits near the surface.
The grey mullet (which must be distinguished from the
totally different red mullet) is a vegetarian in great part,
though it will take ragworms, and occasionally, particu-
larly about sunset, a white fly. In our seas neither are
taken on the rod weighing much over 10 lb., though
bass of 1 5 lb. are occasionally recorded ; but in warmer
seas these weights are frequently exceeded. I have

THE ROD IN SALT WATER 389

taken bass in Turkey of 17 lb., and in the Persian Gulf
sportsmen catch mullet of 18 lb.

The John Dory is another warm- water fish and is
at its best in our south-west coast, in Cornwall, where
it reaches a weight of 18 lb. In fact, I never heard
of a large dory being caught much north of a line drawn
between the estuaries on the Thames and Severn. This
fish has as ugly a face as any in our seas, but this does
not prevent its being excellent eating. No one goes
fishing specially for it, but one is occasionally taken in
swallowing a smaller fish already on the hook, and then,
being probably overheavy for the tackle, it must be
played cautiously to the landing-net or gaff.

The only other big sea-fish caught on the rod in this
country are congers, skates, and sharks. The conger
is a great eel that lives in the rocks and is caught on
very strong tackle, chiefly at night. The skates, or rays,
are those great, square, flattened fishes with the long,
whiplike tails, the latter being in some cases furnished
with sharp spines. Like their relatives the sharks,
they have their eyes above the head and their mouth
beneath. The upper surface is usually dark brown or
grey, and the lower white. They live on the sand and
will take any large bait that lies there, and they show
about as much fight as one would expect from a
billiard table. For this reason I have always had
difficulty in believing that there are men who deliber-
ately set out to catch skate for their own amusement,
but it is a fact that they do so.

390 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

The sharks and dogfish are also only caught acci-
dentally, save at a few spots on the coast, like Herne
Bay, in Kent, and Filey, in Yorkshire, where dogfish
up to 50 Ib. are made a special object of sport. Other-
wise, they are caught only when they seize a hook meant
for pollack or some other large fish. I have taken both
sharks and porbeagles in Cornwall up to 20 Ib. or 30 Ib.,
and both these species occur in Scotland. At times the
smaller spotted and rough dogfish occur in such swarms
that fishing is impossible, and the only thing for it is to
get up the sail and go back to the harbour. The same
plague used to inflict itself on us in Australia, only we
used to go snapper-fishing in steam tugs, and it was
easy to steam away to fresh grounds and outdistance
the greedy vermin that give no better fish a chance.

Among other large sea-fish, the rarest catch in the
amateur's diaries is an angler-fish. It is not that this
curious creature is scarce, for, on the west coast of
Scotland, at any rate, it is plentiful. But its manner of
catching its food does not expose it to much risk from
the angler's hooks. The fish simply lurks in the shade
of a rock or in an ambush of weed, and dangles a silvery
bait on a kind of fishing-rod that grows on the top of
its head. Little fishes, which are as curious as little
women, gather round to see what the strange object is.
Perhaps they nibble at it, but, whether they do or not,
the enormous mouth beneath suddenly opens, and they
are carried inside by the rush of water. Nor is the
angler-fish satisfied with such modest fare, for large

THE ROD IN SALT WATER 391

skate and conger have been found in its stomach. It
will, however, be seen that only by the merest chance
would a baited hook dangle within reach of its jaws.
Still, it does occasionally happen that one is caught on
a rod or line, and then it is a case of Greek meets Greek.
But if any one will show me -the man who would de-
liberately go forth to catch an angler-fish, I will show
him a man ripe for the asylum.

(2) The Tackle. — I cannot attempt within the limits
of this chapter any exhaustive treatise on all the fishing
tackle used in salt water, but I think I can lay down the
general principles on which it has been adapted from
that used in our rivers and lakes. The great feature
of recent years has been the popularising of the rod, in
preference to the older handline, the method adopted
(and rightly so, since it often saves both time and fish)
by those who fish not for sport but for silver. And,
as a still further advance in the artistic style, lighter
rods are gradually superseding the unnecessarily heavy
patterns that were in favour ten or fifteen years ago,
when sea-angling began to come into its own in the
public favour. The golden rule is not to use a heavier
rod than necessary. The lighter weapon may take
twice as long to do its work, but it may give thrice the
pleasure. I am not advocating a cat-and-mouse policy.
Each fish should be got into the boat as soon as it is
tired out, and to prolong the agony is not only un-
necessarily cruel, but also entails the risk of the hook
coming away. There is, I believe, a recognised time

392 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

schedule for the killing of salmon, so many minutes to
the pound, and the same sort of principle should rule in
the capture of sea-fish. But a rod should be a rod, not
a billiard cue or clothes-prop. Even tarpon are being
caught now on light Japanese rods, such as I used in
California, though when I caught tarpon in Florida,
four years ago, only very stout rods were in favour.
The kind of rod usually sold for catching sea-trout,
about 1 1 ft. long and fairly whippy, serves me for
bass and other fish up to 20 Ib. For bigger fish than
these, something heavier should be used. Treat the
rod well ; not perhaps as tenderly as a corn, but do not
tread on it. It will not, as sometimes advertised, last
a lifetime (unless its owner drowns himself before using
it), but, with fair play, it may last for years.

In float-fishing, which is a deadly method from
piers and rocks, and, in a few cases (as for grey mullet
alongside piers)from boats, a rod is absolutely necessary,
as also for any kind of fly, or bait, casting. There are
a few cases, however, in which I would still advocate
the handline, even for sport. One of these is un-
doubtedly the case of conger-fishing at night, an amuse-
ment in which a rod is out of place and will probably
be smashed if the conger run large. Then, again, when
fishing for lythe or even mackerel from a boat going
fast under sail, the strain is too great for a rod, and a
handline (or two, one used in either hand, with wooden
toggles to prevent the line cutting the fingers) is far
more workmanlike. But whatever sort of rod be used,

THE ROD IN SALT WATER 393

do not expect more of it than it is prepared to give, and
do not use it as a boathook, to punt with, or to push
off from the pier.

Much the same advice applies to the line. Use it
as fine as is compatible with saving the fish. It is
wonderful how fine a line will save a big fish if properly
used.

The link between rod and line is the reel, and a
reel may cost anything from five shillings to as many
pounds. Indeed, I have given nine pounds for an
American sea reel before now ; but you have to pay on
the grand scale for everything in America. A good,
useful reel for sea-fishing, of the so-called Nottingham
pattern, with optional check action, may be had for a
sovereign in wood or about twice as much in vulcanite.
The latter material has the advantage of lightness; nor
does it, like wood, swell after immersion in salt water.
On the other hand, it is brittle stuff and apt to smash
if dropped on a hard surface. The check, or, as Ameri-
cans call it, " click " action is designed to put a greater
strain on the fish. The same effect may be obtained
with a silent brake, which takes longer to wear out ; but
many fishermen love the sound of the check, and will
have it on the reel at all costs. All the same the angler
with no soul for any music but the scream of a winch
is a poor creature. The great thing about the sea reel
is that it shall carry plenty of line. Here is no question
of thirty or forty yards of fine line for brook trout, but
a good hundred or hundred and fifty yards to hold

394 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

fish which may tear off halt that length before their
first rush can be checked. A multiplying gear is also
a labour-saving improvement ; that is to say, for every
turn given to the handle, the barrel revolves twice or
more. Lastly, some sort of line-guard, like that devised
by " J ohn Bickerdyke, " is a desirable preventive of over-
running, that most fruitful cause of disaster at critical
moments.

The rest of the tackle, the various combinations
of gut, hooks, and lead, must be dictated by a common-
sense consideration of the habits of the fish and the kind
of ground you are fishing on. By this I mean that
there are obviously some tackles which, though safe
to use on a smooth, sandy bottom, would be certain
to get foul of rocks. When fishing near the surface
for lythe, saithe, or bass, little or no lead is wanted.
In bottom-fishing a heavy weight is sometimes required,
and when the tides run very strong, and this lead has
to be one or two pounds, a handline is preferable to
the rod. At the same time it should be borne in mind
that the finer the line, the less the lead required to take
it to the bottom. Gut, single or otherwise, is much used
in sea-fishing in the new style. In Turkey, where the
water is very clear, and the sunshine exceedingly bright,
one has to use twenty or thirty feet of single salmon
gut, as the bass will not look at anything stouter ; but
in our thicker water and duller weather at home I
usually find nine or ten feet ample. An occasional
brass swivel, particularly where the gut is attached to

THE ROD IN SALT WATER 395

the reel line, will be found useful, and is absolutely
necessary when the bait is being towed astern of the
boat, as the gut would otherwise get irretrievably
twisted up. When after small fish, such as pout or
whiting, three or four hooks may be used, but for bass
and pollack a single large hook gives the best results,
as not only are the big fish more wary, and more likely
to be scared by a second hook, but success might be as
disastrous as failure, for two lusty pollack on the rod
at the same time would be a bad job for the rod.

The " sundries " which make up the angler's furni-
turehavebeen well memorised in Mr. Malloch's chapter.
Tackle and bait (particularly Kquid\y&\\. for master and
men) are not likely to be forgotten, but a dozen odds
and ends suggest themselves as obvious adjuncts to
comfort and safety. The special case of fishing in small
boats some distance from land demands a few items that
were outside Mr. Malloch's scope. The weather or
temperature may change with suddenness, and water-
proofs, or other protection against wet and cold, should
not be overlooked. A change of wind may necessitate
a long beat back to port, and as darkness or fog may in
the meantime fall over sea and land, a lamp should be
carried, and some means of signalling in case of distress
is also desirable where there is any chance of being run
down, either coloured lights (Roman candles serve
admirably) or a heavy revolver with blank ammunition.
Personally, I never go afloat without a little court plaster
and boracic lint, as weevers and other fish can inflict

396 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

very painful wounds if carelessly handled, and much
pain and subsequent mischief may be saved by prompt
washing and dressing. In summer-time, too, it should
be borne in mind that, even in these latitudes, the sea-
fisherman is continuously exposed to the sun, and a
broad-brimmed hat, with protection for the back of the
neck, is a precaution that should not be neglected,
while tinted spectacles will be found a welcome pro-
tection for the eyes against the glare off the water.

(3) The Bait. — The right bait is even more important
than the right tackle, though the best promise of success
lies in a combination of the two. A few fish, like
pollack and mackerel, will occasionally seize almost any
bait that is drawn across their noses, but as a rule not
only has every fish its own particular fancy, but a bait
which is deadly for, say, a bass at one seaside resort,
would not necessarily tempt the same fish a dozen miles
farther up or down the coast. Grey mullet resemble
the bass in this curious variety of their appetite in
different localities. Thus these fish are caught on
paste at Margate, but at Littlehampton, in the neigh-
bouring county, they must have ragworms. As a
matter of fact, the list of baits used in the sea is a very
long one, and something suitable is generally to be had,
because, we must remember, the right bait is, after all,
only what the fish you are after feeds on in the neigh-
bourhood. Occasionally, it is true, the visiting angler
springs a surprise on them with success. I remember
a man, years ago, making a great catch of bass and

THE ROD IN SALT WATER 397

other fish at Littlehampton, wading out in the surf
and casting his bait, of which no one learnt the secret,
just beyond the waves. Speaking generally, however,
it is the local bait which answers best. Thus, to take
the case of the bass. In estuaries, like that of the
Devonshire Teign, beside which I am at present living,
where these fish chase the sandeels over the bar, no
other bait is so deadly as a living sandeel. In Cornwall,
on the other hand, where the big bass are scavengers,
nosing among the weed for refuse from the pilchard
boats, a dead pilchard is the best bait, and they do not
object if it is a few days old. Elsewhere, again, the
baits differ : at Felixstowe, ragworms or artificial bait ;
at Ramsgate, mackerel ; at Aldeburgh, a phantom
minnow ; at Barmouth, a bait made with plaice skin ;
at Padstow, green crab ; at Tenby, ray's liver. Such
are a few of the offerings which lure this fish on different
parts of the coast.

It must be admitted that the bass is an exception.
Most other fish have one universal bait that is best,
wherever they are caught.

Mussels or sand worms are good bait for cod, flat-
fish, whiting, and mackerel, when the last-named are
feeding at the bottom.

Pieces of fresh herring or mackerel will catch cod,
whiting, mackerel, and gurnard.

Squid and cuttlefish are perhaps the best bait for
conger.

Ragworms (which are distinct from lugworms, being

398 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

found in the soft mud of harbours and estuaries, whereas
lugworms bury in the hard sand along open coasts)
or paste are the baits for grey mullet.

Soft crab (i.e. shore crabs that have cast their shell)
will catch bass, cod, and other kinds of fish.

By way of experiment, mussels or sandworms may
always be tried in a locality where you are not certain
of what will be caught. If fish baits are used, herring,
pilchard, or mackerel should be cut up in preference to
others, as they are oily and silvery, both attractive
features in a bait. Whiting and flatfish are next to
useless, though I have known a bait of gurnard, with the
skin left on, successful at times. Shrimps and prawns,
used alive, are also deadly baits for bass and pollack.

Next to knowing the right kind of bait comes a
knowledge of how to use it, and here there is some
latitude, though there is in most cases a way that is
better than the rest.

Mussels, one of the best of all-round sea baits, are
not easy to keep on the hook. The difficulty is some-
times got over by scalding them, but this process, though
it hardens them, undoubtedly makes them unnatural
and less attractive. With a little practice, moreover, first
passing the hook through the small piece of gristle, and
then, after a turn or two through the soft parts, bringing
it out at the "tongue," mussels may be made to stick
on the hook, though few baits are easier for the fish
to remove without getting caught.

Baiting with worms is too familiartoneed description.

THE ROD IN SALT WATER 399

Herrings and mackerel should be cut in strips
diagonally, the bone removed and the hook being
passed twice through the flesh.

Squid and cuttlefish must be washed and hammered
until soft.

Living sandeels are hooked through the lower lip,
the point of the hook being then lightly passed through
the skin of the throat. Live shrimps and prawns may
be hooked through the tail. Turkish and Greek fisher-
men use a very attractive bunch of five or six.

(4) Hints on Catching and Playing Fish. — Here,
again, severe condensation will be necessary, and all
that can be attempted is the enunciation of broad
principles. The ordinary process of holding the rod
and either watching a float or the top of the rod and
striking at the right moment is a question of knowledge
or practice. When using light tackle with large fish,
due regard mustbe had totheir behaviour when hooked.
Thus bass often make a last rush, as spirited as any
that went before, on catchingsight of the gaff or landing-
net, and if the angler does not know this he is very
apt to lose many a good fish close alongside the boat.
Pollack make a determined rush for the bottom, where
they hope to cut the line against their native rocks.
Short of exceeding the breaking strain of the tackle,
every effort must be made to keep them clear of the
rocks, or you may come to the parting of the ways.
Mackerel sheer wildly to right and left, frequently
dashing under the boat's keel, and, if played on fine

400 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

gut, need much humouring. The right time to lift the
mackerel into the net or over the side of the boat is at
the moment when its head points towards you. Any
attempt to coerce it when it has its shoulder to the line
will, more probably than not, end in disaster. Conger
must be bullied into submission. On them the arts of
give and take are thrown away, and the new diplomacy
answers best. Should a John Dory be hooked on a
smaller fish, as previously described, it should be coaxed
very carefully over the landing-net or gaff, as it has pro-
bably not taken very firm holdand sometimes relinquishes
its grip just when victory seems certain. Grey mullet are
tender in the mouth, and, unless played very cautiously,
are apt to get away with a torn lip. As in fresh water,
some fish are more apt to hook themselves, without the
angler troubling to strike, than others. Skate, flatfish,
and gurnards do so, but, on the other hand, whiting,
pout, and bream need prompt striking the moment a bite
is felt. For the gillie's information it may be mentioned
that gaffing a lively bass or conger from a small boat
in a dancing sea is not quite the same thing as gaffing
a salmon from the banks of the Tweed, and I wager
that even my friend Bob Muckle, of Tweedside fame,
might make a mistake in a yacht's dinghy. I f the angler
knows what he wants, the gillie may just do as he is
told. Then, if a good fish is lost, he is not to blame.
(He will probably be blamed all the same, but that
need not upset him.)

To revert for a moment to playing the fish, much

THE ROD IN SALT WATER 401

depends on the extent to which the fisherman can trust
his rod and tackle. If he is confident of every inch of
it (always remembering that it is the weakest spot that
lets him down), then he may play the fish firmly to the
gaff. I have played a tarpon of nearly 1 50 Ib. to the
gaff with more confidence, and in less time, than a bass
of 17 Ib., because in the first case I knew perfectly
well that I could take liberties, since it would take a
suffragette on polling day to break away from tarpon
tackle. As has already been indicated, the fish should
be brought to the gaff as soon as possible, short of
hauling it as if the rod were a derrick. I have known
fishermen so addicted to the music of the reel that, as
soon as a fish is hooked, they swing back the top of
the rod, so as to pull more line off the reel. Sometimes,
owing to difficulty in winding up the slack, the fish is
lost, and then I rejoice to see such folly pay the price.
With heavy fish and stout tackle, the most effective
way of reeling in the fish is by what the Americans
call ''pumping," the top of the rod being lowered and
raised alternately, and the slack reeled in as often as
possible. The novice should keep the top of the rod
well up, always (particularly when a big fish is hooked
in deep water) with due regard to the strain it will bear
and the curve it will take without snapping. The quick
gaffing of a fish depends not only on the skill of the
gillie, but also on the manner in which the fisherman
brings his fish to the gaff. If he should get excited

at the critical moment, and either slack the line or lift
26

402 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

the fish out of water, an error which will surely goad
it to another dash for liberty, then the gaff, however
expertly handled, is likely to be baulked of its prey.
Needless to say, it is easier to play a big fish when the
boat is not anchored, for it then follows the fish, and the
strain on the rod is much reduced. The most difficult
case of all is when fishing from a high pier, fifteen or
twenty feet above the water. Unless the fish can be
gaffed or netted by a gillie in a boat, or on a lower step,
or unless, as an alternative, the fish can be coaxed to
the beach (this depends on the architecture of the pier),
practically the only way of saving it is first to tire it
out and then to lay the rod down and warily haul it by
the line, hand over hand. A single kick while a heavy
fish is in the air will probably break the line. The diffi-
culty of playing a big fish from piers is aggravated by
the posts and chains round which, in its struggles, it
may wind the line. Nor is it lessened by the crowd
of idlers who usually gather round in the summer season,
not caring whether they give the fisherman elbow room,
but imbued with the one idea of getting as good a view
as possible of the proceedings. Indeed, luck counts for
more in pier-fishing than in any other branch of angling.
The gillie will be held responsible for the boat, and,
whether it be a dinghy or a cutter, everything should
be shipshape. There is, or should be, a place for all
things, and they should not be put just anywhere, but
in that place. Nothing is more irritating than to find
the bait, possibly a box of writhing worms, where the

THE ROD IN SALT WATER 403

lunch ought to be, nor is there any comfort in sitting
on a heap of loose hooks. The bait-knife should be
kept in one spot when not in use, and so placed that
the fisherman, reaching out for it, encounters the handle,
not the open blade. All ropes and sails should be piled
neatly out of the way when fishing at anchor, as, if the
sportsman should trip over a footboard or bit of ballast
just as he is playing a good lythe, there is no telling
what he might say or do next. The boat should be
kept as dry as possible, as it is no pleasure to sit in a
puddle, or to fall over slippery boards. The fish, large
and small alike, should be kept in a basket if the boat
is unprovided with a well for the purpose. Dead fish
floating about the bottom of a boat between one's boots
are simply disgusting, and enough to make a man sea-
sick on the spot. Each fish should be knocked on the
head when removed from the hook. I am not one of
those who telegraph to the editor of the Times when-
ever they suspect an eel in a fishmonger's shop of suffer-
ing from a headache, but needless cruelty is always
reprehensible. Incidentally, too, this improves the fish
for the table, as, if allowed to die slowly, they are apt
to injure and bruise themselves.

Sport at Various Resorts. — Local knowledge is of
first importance in all fishing. This is illustrated time
and again by the small village urchins who catch more
trout with a withy and bent pin than the visitor armed
with all the latest temptations from the tackle shop.
So, too, in the sea ; you may be using the right tackle

4o4 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

and the right bait, but, without some acquaintance, on
your own part or your gillie's, of local conditions, such
success as you may have will be a mere matter of luck,
and there are places, indeed, where, without the exact
bearings of the fishing-grounds, you might as well hang
your baits from the cross of St. Paul's Cathedral, for
all the fish you are likely to catch. There are, it will
be realised, two kinds of local knowledge : the broader
knowledge of what fish are taken in the neighbourhood
and what bait they like best ; and the more specific,
equally necessary, acquaintance with the marks or bear-
ings of the different fishing-grounds. These have to
be taken with reference to sundry conspicuous objects
on land : a tree on a hilltop, a chine, a coastguard
station, a church steeple are all favourite objects because
sufficiently permanent to serve. They have come into
use by oral tradition. In prehistoric times some old
fisherman of the place anchored by chance on a spot
where he had a great catch of pollack or whiting, and
he immediately took his bearings so that he could come
again next day. In course of time he would make his
son free of the secret, or it would leak out somehow.
New grounds are continually being discovered, and
the greatest pains taken to keep the knowledge. I
have been fishing on such a mark, which may be known
only to my own fisherman, and as soon as another boat
came in sight, already perhaps a mile away, my man
would quietly get up the anchor and let the boat drift
about anyhow, while we pretended to be having all the

THE ROD IN SALT WATER 405

sport we wanted. The trick was of course apparent
to the practised eye of the spies, who would take their
defeat in good part and presently sail away to other
grounds.

I cannot, for obvious reasons, set down in this chapter
any of the hundreds of marks round the coast, with
which thirty years of sea-fishing have made me familiar,
but I can at least indicate a few of the resorts, chiefly
along the English coast, where the best fish of each
kind are to be taken.

Bass, which occur all round Britain, are at their
best along the south coast of England, from Land's
End to the Forelands. Plymouth, Teignmouth, Sid-
mouth, Seaton, Weymouth, Selsea, Brighton, Rams-
gate, and Margate all give large bass, and at each a
different style of fishing is in vogue. On the east coast,
Clacton, Felixstowe, and Aldeburgh, and on the west
side, Tenby and Barmouth, are also good spots for bass-
fishing. For the information of yachtsmen, I may add
that there is sheltered anchorage in a harbour or estuary
at or near most of them, only Selsea, Sidmouth, Seaton,
and Clacton being open roads.

Grey Mullet of good weight are taken at Plymouth,
Weymouth, and Margate.

Conger are found on almost any rocky ground in
the British Isles, but Cornwall and the Bristol Channel,
as well as the rough ground round Beach y Head, in
Sussex, seem to be their headquarters so far as the
south country is concerned.

406 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

Pollack and Coalfish are found on the same grounds
as conger, but the coalfish is scarcer as we come south.
Very fine coalfish are taken off the Yorkshire coast on
the herring-grounds.

Cod and Whiting, which are at their best between
October and Christmas, are to be caught from boats
wherever there is the mixture of hard and smooth
ground to which they are partial. There is, in autumn,
good cod-fishing from the piers at Folkestone, Deal,
Felixstowe, Clacton, and Great Yarmouth, and from
the shore at Lowestoft and among the wykes and scars
in the neighbourhood of Scarborough.

Sharks are mostly taken in Cornwall, about ten
miles from the land on hot, calm summer days, and
the largest dogfish (topes) are found at Herne Bay,
in Kent, and Filey, in Yorkshire, where the Brigg, a
magnificent natural pier of rocks, offers undoubtedly
the finest shore-fishing for mackerel and pollack in
these islands.

These are particular cases, and a fuller list, with
details, can be found in most of the manuals on the
sport. But, by way of general principles, there are
certain topographical features associated with particular
kinds of fish, which may, in the absence of any local
information to the contrary, be fairly expected to occur
in the neighbourhood.

The broadest distinction is that between a rocky
and sandy coast. Where the foreshore is bold, with
cliffs and rocks, the angler may look for lythe and saithe,

THE ROD IN SALT WATER 407

for conger and cod, bream, wrasse, and probably bass.
Where, on the contrary, there are no rocks, but a low,
sandy beach, he must expect rather flatfish, whiting,
gurnards, with, perhaps, bass close inshore.

If there is a harbour or river estuary, bass may
certainly be looked for, and probably also grey mullet.

A shingle beach, with deep water close inshore,
should give bass on summer evenings, and cod and
whiting in winter.

Now and then artificial conditions are responsible
for the occurrence of a particular fish. Bass will haunt
the neighbourhood of a fish factory, the refuse from
which attracts them under unsuitable natural conditions,
and the potatoes and other waste thrown over the side
of Margate Jetty throughout the crowded summer
season of that popular resort must undoubtedly be held
accountable for the abnormal abundance of large grey
mullet. On the other hand, the disturbance of engineer-
ing operations has of late years been detrimental to the
once admirable fishing at Dover and elsewhere.

Having concluded the practical side of the subject, so
far as is manageable in the space, I want to say a word
of the birds and beasts which are the constant com-
panion of the sea-fisherman in the happy hours he
spends on the water. Every angler should be some-
thing of a naturalist, not limiting his nature study to the
habits of the fish he wants to catch, or of the baits with
which he hopes to catch them, but also watching the
creatures of the water or waterside which have no

408 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

direct influence on his sport. When Dr. John Brown
wrote of Struan Robertson, " Like all true sportsmen,
he was a naturalist," he enunciated something better
than a half-truth. There is, no doubt, something
enviable in mechanical perfection, whether in throwing
a fly or pointing a gun, but it is less enviable in the
man with no eye or ear for the wonders of nature, and,
be he never so successful as a fisherman, he is no com-
plete angler in the best sense of the word. The finest
passages of Walton's classic, the passages which have
lived, are not those which tell how to put a worm on
a hook. There was something, surely, about the music
of the nightingale that is treasured by many who never
wetted a line.

For the sea-fisherman, who is visited by neither
the gorgeous kingfisher nor the sombre heron, the
most friendly birds are the gulls, familiar in every
marine scene, whether circling in the eye of the storm
or paddling in the tidal harbour. No one should shoot
gulls. In the first place, they offer such easy shots that
none but a duffer could miss them. Secondly, save in
very exceptional circumstances (when too attentive,
for instance, to the nurseries of young trout), they do
no harm. Indeed, they are useful birds in their way,
keeping many a harbour clean that would, but for their
services, be a hotbed of typhoid, and, in foggy weather,
warning the fishermen off the rocks, just as, in fine,
they often show them where the fish are. Thirdly,
these birds, so beautiful in life, are useless when shot.

THE ROD IN SALT WATER 409

I am aware that there are lasses who stick them in
their hats. Why, if the face underneath the hat is
comely, it needs no such advertisement ; and if it is
of the other kind, the less attention drawn to it the
better ! Occasionally, particularly in northern waters,
a large dark bird is seen among the gulls, generally
the centre of a commotion. This is a skua, a robber
of the air, a pirate of the lochs, which waits till the
feebler gulls have picked up a fish, then dashes at them
in the air, forcing them to drop their prize, and recover-
ing it before it touches the water. Near Aberdeen
the fishermen call them " Dirty Devils," and in Corn-
wall " Jack Harries," because they harry the gulls.

The shag and cormorant, which do not soar like
the gulls, but fly swift and close to the water with out-
stretched necks, are birds of another feather and dark
as sin. They are greedy fellows, eating only living
food and therefore useless as scavengers. They are
silent fowl, making none of the tumult of the gulls at
meal-time, so they are useless as guides to the where-
abouts of the shoals. They do not offer easy shots,
for they fly fast, dive at the flash of the gun, and carry
away almost as much shot as an elephant. Wherefore,
I have no hesitation in saying shoot them whenever
so inclined, for there is no danger of exterminating the
species. They are terrible enemies to a trout stream,
once they find it out, and he who would blame a keeper
for shooting them would blame the man for saying
his prayers. Their bright green eye is full of evil.

410 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

When swimming, they leave only the head exposed,
offering a very difficult shot. Shags nest only in the
cliffs, I think, but cormorants also choose sites in trees
or on the ground, especially on lonely islands where
they are free from interference. A first cousin to them,
but as different, when seen on the wing, as a bird of
paradise from a turkey, is the beautiful gannet, or solan
goose, a great white bird, with black bars across its
wings. The gannet fishes in a manner peculiarly its
own. Soaring a couple of hundred feet above the sea,
it keeps a sharp look-out for fish, and I have watched
it through binoculars and seen the bill turn from one
side to the other as the eyes ranged over the preserves
far below. Then, catching sight of a gleam of silver,
it suddenly folds its wings and drops, literally like a
bolt from the blue, doubtless stunning numbers offish
with the impact, and then swallowing them at leisure.
The bird is spared the discomfort which such high
diving might otherwise cause it, by the structure of its
nostrils, which are covered up by the skin, so that it
breathes only through its mouth.

The other birds with which the observant sea-fisher-
man grows familiar are of smaller calibre — puffins, guille-
mots, razorbills, and shearwaters — and, if not molested,
these soon grow so friendly that they paddle round his
boat and dive for such small fish or scraps as he may
from time to time throw to them. Detailed descrip-
tion of these small fowl, which are black above and
white beneath, may be found in any natural history

THE ROD IN SALT WATER 411

book. The puffin may be recognised from the rest by
its parrot-like beak, which, in the courting days, assumes
half the colours of the solar spectrum. They are all
divers, except the shearwaters, which fly in great curves
over the sea and never seem to rest. That they remain
so plentiful is remarkable, as they lay only a single egg,
but they are careful to lay it on an inaccessible ledge
in the cliffs, and, after all, few people shoot them. The
only other little bird in the sea-fisherman's visiting-list
is the least of the petrels, the little white fellow known
as Mother Carey's Chicken (who Mother Carey was,
I have not the faintest notion), or the Stormy Petrel,
and generally recognised by sailors as the forerunner
of bad weather at sea.

Sooner or later the fisherman with a turn for natural
history is sure to be attracted by those marine mammals,
which we term variously whales, porpoises, and dolphins.
Of seals, which are carnivorous animals of a higher
order, he may also see something, particularly in the
sea lochs of the west coast. I recollect watching one
basking on a flat rock in Loch Etive. But they have
practically vanished from southern England, and are
no longer seen, save at long intervals, even in the
wilder scenery of Cornwall and its island satellites,
where they once were numerous. The whales and
porpoises, on the other hand, are encountered all round
these islands. Great herds of the larger whales are
uncommon south of Orkney and Shetland, but I have
seen the grampus fishing close to land, rushing through

412 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

a shoal of pilchards or herrings, open-mouthed, with
a noise like the blasting of a quarry. These whales
and porpoises are not fish, for they breathe air, like
ourselves, with lungs, and have neither the gills nor
scales of fishes. The young are born like calves and
nourished with the mother's milk. These animals
have, in fact, nothing in common with fishes beyond
their watery home and a somewhat superficial resem-
blance. If, however, the two are closely compared, the
differences are immediately evident. The tail of a fish,
for instance, is set vertical. The only fish I ever saw
with the tail horizontal (as in whales and porpoises)
was a shark in the museum kept at Yildiz Kiosk by
Abdul Hamid when Sultan of Turkey. Then, again,
these whales and porpoises have a blowhole on the head,
not found in fishes, and it is through this that the great
whales send up that cloud of condensing vapour which,
mistaking it for a column of water, folk at sea describe
as spouting.

It must at one time or another have occurred to
most sea-anglers that, if these could only be induced
to take a bait, the smaller porpoises (of, say, 50 Ib.
or thereabouts) would give exciting sport on tarpon
tackle. No doubt they would. The difficulty is to
persuade them to oblige. During the last twenty years
I must have received scores of inquiries on the subject,
but I never yet succeeded in solving the problem to
my own, or anyone's, satisfaction. He who does so
will confer a boon, though not on the porpoises.

NOTES

NOTES

CHAPTER XXII

FISH HATCHING ON A MODEST SCALE
By HENRY LAMOND

IN these days of intensive cultivation it is more than
probable that a gamekeeper or fishing gillie will find
it of advantage to be more or less familiar with the art
of pisciculture. Given that knowledge of nature solidly
based upon a study of the ways and wiles of bird, beast,
and fish, which this class of employee already possesses,
little more is required in addition except care, scrupu-
lous cleanliness, and sound common sense to turn even
an ordinary gillie into a competent hatchery manager.
It is proposed to indicate in this chapter the little more
that is required.

It is possible that even the employer's attention may
be actively turned to the subject when he learns that
there is no particular mystery about the business ; that,
given suitable conditions, a small hatchery is neither a
troublesome nor a costly undertaking either to construct
or to maintain ; and that, again given suitable condi-
tions, some real return may be expected from the out-
lay incurred. It may be of service, therefore, to give
a description of a hatchery which has been in active

415

416 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

operation for several years, and which has had an annual
output of nearly 300,000 healthy fry of trout, sea-trout,
and salmon. To assist the practical man as far as
possible, a sketch plan of the hatchery, a specification
and estimate of cost, and other particulars are appended.
There is no occasion at this time of day to refer to
the practical benefits which may be obtained from
artificial trout-hatching. Nor are we concerned to de-
fend the practice of salmon and sea-trout hatching, the
necessity for which, in our opinion, depends solely upon
local conditions. At Luss, on Loch Lomond, it has
been found from practical experience that the available
natural spawning-ground is so deficient and the streams
themselves are so obstructed, that a hatchery forms a
valuable supplement of nature. There is really nothing
artificial involved in the process. The ova collected
are simply placed in security. There are many small
sea-trout streams in the Highlands, especially on the
west coast, where similar conditions prevail, and for
these a hatchery would be similarly valuable. Pro-
prietors, moreover, need have the less hesitation in
hatching sea-trout for this reason, that the sea-trout
does not roam far afield, as does the salmon, but is
essentially an estuary fish. A large proportion of Loch
Lomond fish, marked when spawning in the tributaries,
have been recaptured the following season spawning
again in the same tributaries. To the hatching of sea-
trout, then, as well as trout, attention may be usefully
directed.

FISH HATCHING ON A MODEST SCALE 417

Now, what are the essential requisites of a hatch-
ery ? Obviously land and water, the first if possible
conveniently close to the dwelling of the prospective
hatchery manager, and the second ample. There are
few estates, we imagine, where a combination of circum-
stances of this kind will not be found. For the site
itself, any gently sloping plot of ground upon which
a wooden house, 20 ft. square, can be erected will
do. If the subsoil is porous so much the better, but
if not, a gravel foundation can easily be provided. The
water supply is a more important consideration. It
must be ample, pure, and not liable to the slightest risk
of interruption, for any cessation of the flow at a critical
juncture would be disastrous. For these reasons the
water supply available will determine the site.

If it is impossible to secure, as has been secured at
Luss, with the kind permission of the proprietor of the
estate, connection with an existing domestic water
supply, then a stream must be looked for where a
sufficient head of water can be obtained. At Luss,
delivery is made by a \ in. lead pipe, but the head of
water in each case will determine the diameter of the
pipe necessary to deliver the quantity of water requisite.
This, roughly speaking, must be sufficient to give to
each hatching box a complete interchange of water
every three minutes. In a convenient stream, then, a
natural pool must be looked for giving a fall of at least
30 ft. to the proposed hatchery. If, however, no such

pool can be found, a small dam can easily and cheaply
27

418 THE KEEPERS BOOK

be engineered to form one. In the pool so found, or
formed, a small covered chamber should be constructed,
guarded at the intake by an iron grating to exclude
flotsam. From within this chamber the main water
pipe, further protected by a rose, will be led to the
hatchery. If the water can first be filtered through an
outer chamber of gravel, additional security will be given
against danger from the deposited sediment of " spate "
water. The pipe will terminate within the hatchery
itself, which we are now in a position to describe.

The hatchery, then, is a simple wooden structure,
20 ft. long by 17 ft. broad, standing on a sloping
gravel foundation. The back wall is 7 ft. and the
front wall n ft. 4 in. in height, giving the lean-to
roof, which is covered with patent roofing felt, sufficient
slope from front to rear to throw off the rainfall. The
whole structure is thoroughly tarred over. As direct
sunlight, or indeed a strong light, is detrimental to the
ova, the house faces away from the south, and in this
front wall alone are the door and three small fixed
windows, one being over the door and one on each
side. These windows are obscured by green cloth roller
blinds.

The walls, of ordinary white pine, are built double,
and the spaces between the standards are filled in with
sawdust to preserve an even temperature.

The floor space, sloping towards the front door, is
occupied by eleven hatching boxes, which, as the plan
shows, are arranged to allow of convenient working.

FISH HATCHING ON A MODEST SCALE 419

Against the left wall are two boxes end to end. Two
groups of four boxes each, arranged end to end in pairs,
occupy the central floor space, while against the right
wall away from the door is one box. The space left
on this side near the door is useful for tackle. The
boxes stand on frames at a convenient height from the
floor, and as at Luss the water supply enters from the
rear, the tier of six boxes farthest from the door is on
a higher level by the depth of a box than the tier of
five nearest it, each upper box draining into the one
set beneath. At Luss the six higher level boxes are
fitted with glass grilles for carrying the ova, while the
four central boxes of the lower tier are fitted with per-
forated zinc baskets.

To trace the water system more precisely, the supply
is delivered from a continuation of the main J in.
lead pipe within the hatchery to each of the six upper
boxes. Separate connections with this pipe are made
for each box, the taps being finished with -f in. nose-
cocks ; after serving the upper boxes the water flows
over lipped slots to the lower tier, whence each box
drains to a common lead waste pipe carried beneath the
flooring through the doorway to a fireclay drain pipe
leading to the river a few paces away. The supply
of the lower tier of central boxes is, by a separate
connection with the main inside the hatchery, supple-
mented by block tin tubes fixed inside the boxes per-
forated with needle points about one half-inch apart.
The tubes are carried round the upper inner edges of

420

THE KEEPER'S BOOK

each box, and stop-cocks control the supply for each
box. When the water is turned on it is thrown from
each pipe to the opposite row of baskets in the box, for

PLAN OF LUSS HATCHERY

SHEWING ARRANGEMENT

OF HATCHING BOXES AND WATER SUPPLY

Ji

JL

Tr

DOOR StaVT o- ,

-I — f

its whole length, practically like a spray bath. This
supplemental supply ensures to the ova massed in the
baskets a sufficiency of oxygen of which the water flow-

FISH HATCHING ON A MODEST SCALE 421

ing over the eggs of the upper tier has been already
partially depleted. The whole water-supply system
permits of each box being worked as an independent
unit. At Luss a cistern and filter within the hatchery
were installed and abandoned, as sufficient pressure
from these could not be obtained from the delivery
pipe to give the flow of water requisite.

It will be sufficient now to describe one of the hatch-
ing boxes arranged for the glass grille system of
hatching, and one fitted with the perforated zinc
baskets. To take the former first. The glass grille
system is the most effective for hatching out ova. It
shows a slightly lower percentage of loss than the basket
system, but its practical drawback is that it requires more
space in proportion to the number of ova hatched. The
hatching box is made of \\ in. dressed deal carefully
charred inside. It is 6 ft. 9 in. in length, i ft. 7 in.
broad, and 7^- in. deep outside measurements. It has
wooden ledges on each side of the bottom, and a re-
movable wooden runner in the centre placed longi-
tudinally. On these rest the four frames carrying the
glass grilles. The grille upon which the ova rest is a
series of glass tubes, each tube being 6f in. long and
\ in. in diameter. The tubes are set in a row close to-
gether, but not touching, across each frame, and are kept
in position by serrated wood or zinc strips fixed to the
inside edges of the frame. The level of the frames in
the box is so adjusted that the eggs when placed upon
the grille are 3 in. from the bottom of the box, giving

422 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

that depth of water beneath them, while the water-level
is maintained at half an inch over them. As it is im-
portant to strain the water of all sediment, the nose-cock
at the upper end of the box discharges first into a per-
forated zinc strainer, which, with a further inch or two of
space before the trays are reached, distributes the inrush
of water to the box in a uniform gentle flow. At the
lower end of the box a removable perforated zinc screen
prevents any egg lapping over into the lower box, and,
later, prevents the escape of the alevins and fry when
the eggs hatch out.

Between the system of glass grilles and the per-
forated zinc baskets the only difference in principle is
that the eggs on the grilles are laid in uniform rows, while
in the baskets they are deposited in mass, perhaps two,
perhaps three, layers deep. At Luss two layers deep
has been found to produce results equal to the grilles,
while hatching double the quantity of ova, that is, the
proportion of loss is no greater, the total loss being in
both cases from two to three per cent. only. The baskets
are carefully made of finely and closely perforated zinc
sheets and are 8 in. square and 3 in. deep. Two rows
of eight baskets occupy the space in the hatching
box, a number sufficient for convenience of working.
The whole sixteen baskets rest upon the longitudinal
side ledges and central runner already described,
at such a level that at least three-quarters of an inch
of water will flow freely over three layers of eggs.
When it is added that, as in the upper boxes, a strainer

FISH HATCHING ON A MODEST SCALE 423

is placed at the intake and a screen at the outflow, and
that these boxes are fed in addition by the spray water-
piping already described, enough has been said to give
an idea of both systems. There is only this to be added,
that all woodwork must be carefully charred ; that every
separate piece must be carefully smoothed and exactly
fitting, without the least projection or crevice ; and that
all zinc should be varnished by a special varnish, which
can be obtained from any of our commercial hatcheries.

Let us assume now that everything in the hatchery
is prepared for the reception of the ova. All the taps
are in working order, ready to be turned on or off as
occasion requires ; a steady flow is left running ; the
escape pipes are clear of obstruction, and the glass grilles
(or the baskets) are all in their places submerged to the
proper depth. I f the weather is specially severe, we have
provided a small oil stove to keep the temperature of
the house above freezing-point. Candles or stable lamps
are also at hand, as the winter day gives brief light to
work by.

It had been reported (we shall suppose) that the fish
would likely be on the redds that afternoon, and now the
dogcart, or, better still, the motor car, is awaiting orders
ready to start at a moment's notice, as we have some little
distance to travel. Our head man has meantime been
putting aboard the vehicle four white enamelled tin
basins of 1 5 in. diameter, a couple of white enamelled
tin pails with lids, and two or three kitchen towels, the
use of which will immediately appear. Our man has

424 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

donned his salmon waders, as will also have his four or
five assistants, who are already on the ground. They
have with them the nets which have been kept all day
in readiness near the waterside, and they have also a
couple of stout poles 6 ft. long, not only to beat the water
and prod the banks, but to help them to keep their
balance in the icy stream.

Arrived at our destination, we are told that several
pairs of salmon, or sea-trout, or trout, as the case may
be, are on the redds. We see for ourselves the females
flashing their sides occasionally in the brown water, and
the attendant males dashing every now and then
almost ashore on the shallows. The river (we shall
suppose) is some fifteen or twenty paces wide, gravelly
runs alternating with slacker places, scarcely pools, of
from 2 to 4 ft. in depth. We select a stretch of water
where there are several pairs of fish, and at the lower
end of this, at a point where the river narrows, we fix
our principal net.

This is a large bag-net of a 4 in. mesh, neither
floated with corks nor leaded, but simply reeved to a
circle of rope, the diameter of the mouth being 20 ft.,
and the bag extending 40 ft, tapering to a point where,
by means of a slip-knot, we can take out any of the
enclosed fish that is required. Besides this large net,
four smaller bag-nets, 10 ft. diameter at the mouth and
10 ft. in depth, are useful for catching trout in small
burns, and for retaining large fish temporarily till
wanted. The large bag-net is now fastened by two guys

FISH HATCHING ON A MODEST SCALE 425

at the water-level, one on each side of the stream, and
kept open by two others fixed higher up on opposite
banks. The flow of water keeps the bag distended.
Meantime the men have entered the water at the head
of the spawning stretch, 200 yds. or so upstream, and
begin to beat the fish down to the bag-net. Two men
follow with a sweep net stretched across the river to
prevent fish breaking back, while a third wades behind
the centre of this net to lift it over obstacles. Both
banks are poked and prodded with the poles to prevent
fish taking cover. All the fish in the " drive'" fall
back in some little excitement, till at last they find
themselves within the bag-net.

A ripe female is selected, taken from the tail of the
net, and handed to the chief operator, who, all his
appliances ready, is waiting to strip her. He takes the
fish, wraps one of the towels round her to prevent her
slipping, leaving the vent clear. Then, sitting down, with
a clean, dry basin between his feet, he holds the fish, head
towards him, tail outwards, and belly down, with the vent
over the basin. If the fish is perfectly " ripe," a slight
pressure will cause the ova to fall into the basin. If
not, a repeated gentle pressure from the throat towards
the vent will bring it away. When all the ova are
extracted, the fish, if carefully handled, will swim off
little the worse for her adventure.

One of the males in the bag-net has meantime been
selected to perform his part of the ceremony. He is
taken, then, wrapped in the towel, and held exactly as

426 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

was the female, while his milt is allowed to run over the
eggs in the basin. A slight pressure near the vent is
necessary to start the flow of milt. A very few drops is
sufficient to fertilise the mass, and one male will fertilise
the ova of several females. But it is poor economy to be
niggardly if males are plentiful, and, on the other hand,
to be extravagant if males are few. In any case it is
good policy to retain all superfluous males until the day's
work is over. Hence the practical utility of the small
bag-nets. After depositing the milt on the eggs, which
at this stage are all separate, the operator stirs them
gently with the tail of the male fish. He in turn is then
liberated, or kept captive for further service if required.
The eggs are then covered with water an inch deep
over them, and in a few minutes another quarter of
an inch of water is added. The eggs meantime have
coagulated in mass. Then the basin must be left per-
fectly still for a time, which maybe anything from twenty
minutes to two hours, according to temperature. During
this time the mass will be disintegrating, and any dis-
turbance must be avoided. Now and again the operator
may look carefully to see if the eggs are separated, when,
if they are, the process of fertilisation is over and they
may be washed clean of milt by gently pouring water
over them. When they are quite clean, the eggs will
be found to have changed their former rich salmon-pink
to an opalescent hue, which indicates that fertilisation
is complete. The same procedure is gone through with
other fish, and as each lot of ova is fertilised and cleaned

FISH HATCHING ON A MODEST SCALE 427

it is placed in water in the covered pails, not mixing
the ova of sea-trout and trout, say, indiscriminately, but
using separate pails for the ova of each species of fish
stripped. When enough ova has been collected, or all
we can get on this occasion, we re-enter our conveyance
and make for the hatchery with it.

It may be said at this point that the whole operation
in principle is the same for salmon, sea-trout, and trout,
but as salmon spawn when the weather is as a rule very
cold, their eggs take longer to fertilise than do those of
trout or sea-trout. A female salmon in most books is
credited with providing one thousand eggs for each
pound of her weight. This is probably an overestimate,
but the figure gives a rough indication of the total
quantity of ova obtained. An average sea-trout or trout
provides about eight hundred eggs for each pound of
weight. In the operations described there is not the
slightest difficulty, except that it is sometimes not easy
to get a ripe male at the same time as a ripe female, and
a male may require to be floated with the party down
or upstream in the small bag-net. Sometimes, too,
darkness descends on the scene and the work has to be
done by lantern light, while frost always protracts the
work. The great matter is to have one person in sole
command, whose duty it will be to see that everything
is done systematically and rapidly, not in a flurry and
hurry.

Arrived safely at the hatchery the ova has now to
be deposited on the grilles or in the zinc baskets. This

428 THE KEEPERS BOOK

requires some neatness and care, an enamelled cup may
be used to ladle out the eggs from the pails. If we are
working with glass grilles, no more ova must be placed
on each frame than will occupy exactly the available
space. Each little rack must contain its exact quota
of eggs, so that when the frames are filled all the eggs
will be uniform in rows, and all the rows uniform in the
box, with half an inch of water passing gently over them.
If we are using the perforated zinc baskets, each may
safely be filled with two or three layers deep of ova in
mass, but at least three-quarters of an inch of water in
this case must flow over the eggs. In these boxes, too,
the auxiliary sprays will now be carefully turned on so
that each jet falls into the centre of the opposite basket
in the box. Everything being now in order, water
taps all flowing freely, and all tackle put away, the
house may safely be locked up for the night, for the
labours of the day are satisfactorily ended.

In water with a temperature varying from 40° to
45° F. about the thirtieth day the eyes of the embryo
fish may be seen, two little dark specks in the substance
of the egg. Trout may be expected to hatch out in
about seventy days altogether with water at the above
temperature, sea-trout in about ninety days, and salmon
in about one hundred and twenty days. All these
periods will be protracted in proportion as the weather
is colder, so that no anxiety need be feltat delay in hatch-
ing. Throughout this period of incubation nothing re-
quires to be done but to keep the water constantly

FISH HATCHING ON A MODEST SCALE 429

flowing and to maintain a careful watch upon the ova,
for which purpose the hatchery will be visited daily.
A few matters of some practical importance may be
referred to as applicable to the present stage.

Stress has been laid upon the advisability of keep-
ing the eggs in exact uniformity on the glass grilles.
The reason is that, so arranged, any speck of foreign
matter, and any dead or barren or diseased egg, will
be detected at a glance, just as a defect of uniform in a
soldier will be detected in a regiment drawn up in line.
The eggs themselves should never be handled, but
arranged and rearranged on their racks with a stiff
feather. A small glass syphon tube, one end closed
with indiarubber, will suck up, after a pressure of the
thumb, any egg for closer examination. I f the slightest
trace of white fungus is observed upon it, the egg should
be at once destroyed, for the fungus growth develops
very rapidly if not checked. Careful charring of all
wood used in the construction of the boxes, cleanliness
of all utensils, and careful examination of the eggs, are
the best preventatives.

A thermometer, several syphon tubes, two or three
clear glass wineglasses, a tiny gauze landing-net, and a
bunch of seagull wing feathers should be always at hand.

The eggs are almost as easily examined in the
baskets as on the grilles. All one has to do is to take
each basket in turn, raise it an inch or so in the water,
and press it down again firmly. The water, rushing
in through the perforations, will cause the eggs to boil

430 THE KEEPERS BOOK

and simmer, and any dead or barren egg, being lighter,
will come to the top. It can then be picked out with
the syphon tube. So too any foreign substance will
show up at once in the mass.

The only occasion for real anxiety at this period is
during a spate, when a large proportion of matter held
in suspension in the water may be expected to be de-
posited, if not on the eggs yet in the boxes. Of course
the best means to prevent this is careful filtration, first
at the source of supply, and again, if convenient, within
the hatchery. But, notwithstanding, the boxes will still
require occasionally to be cleaned. This can be done
without injury to the eggs, but, as great care is necessary
in the moving, cleaning with clear water, and replacing
them, not to mention the cleaning of the boxes, it is a
troublesome enough business. The danger of a deposit
on the eggs is that it prevents the free absorption of
oxygen from the water through the shell of the egg, and
the free giving off of the carbonic acid gas generated
by the growth within, resulting in suffocation and death
of the embryo.

Periodical inspection should also be made at this time
of the intake chamber of the water supply, and the rose
of the main pipe examined to see that no floating matter
has got in to foul it. Decayed leaves are often trouble-
some in this respect.

With ordinary care all the eggs will duly hatch out
at the appointed time, when our young fish will have
reached the alevin stage.

FISH HATCHING ON A MODEST SCALE 431

When the eggs have all hatched into alevins, some
little rearrangement of the hatching boxes falls to be
made. A few points of management appropriate to the
period before the fish becomes a " fry " may also be re-
ferred to. When the embryo fish bursts its shell it is
not in the least like a fish. To the blunt head, with its
staring black eyes, and the thin transparent body, is
added an elongated bag larger than the fish, containing
sufficient nourishment to last it for a further space of
fifty days. The fish is not perfect until this bag, or
umbilical sac, is wholly absorbed. During the period
of absorption the instinct of the little creature, which
can only wriggle spasmodically on its side, drives it to
hide in any minute crevice that it can find. Now it is
that previous careful smoothing of all angles and exact
fitting of all fixed and movable parts of the box will
be seen to be of the utmost importance. For into every
corner and crevice the alevin will attempt to wriggle,
and success, or partial success, will almost certainly
have fatal results. The best protection for them at this
time, beyond careful construction of the boxes, will be
absolute darkness in the hatchery.

In those boxes containing grilles it will be observed
that, as the eggs hatch out, the alevins drop through
between the glass tubes to the bottom of the box, and
the syphon tube will now be in constant use removing
the empty egg shells. When the eggs are all hatched,
the glass grilles and the frames which carry them are
removed, thoroughly cleaned, and carefully put away.

432 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

The hatching box has now become a small rearing pond
in which the alevins live comfortably until they are
perfect little fry of an inch or an inch and a quarter in
length, capable of fending for themselves in the great
world of water out of doors. Before they have left the
hatching box, even before the sac is wholly absorbed,
they may be seen all lying head upstream to the in-
flowing water, and " rising " now and then inquisitively
to some tiny floating speck.

As in the grille boxes so with the baskets. When all
the eggs are hatched, the baskets and supporting ledges
are taken out, cleaned, and put carefully away. It is
convenient to keep all the alevins of one mass of ova
in their own basket till the whole box has hatched
out.

Not much need be said by way of hint or warning
now. Care and cleanliness are still essential. Risks
of spate water must still be run and guarded against.
But the main thing is to see that the alevins do not
find out some new and original method of committing
suicide. Hence every joint and junction must be ex-
amined in the boxes, and no flaw in the intake or out-
flow perforated zinc screens must be permitted. So,
too, any dead or injured alevins should be removed at
once, as should also all " deformities," of which there
are always a few. Double-headed and double-tailed
fish are perhaps most common, but often two are found
joined together at the belly, or actually crossed through
each other like the sign of multiplication.

FISH HATCHING ON A MODEST SCALE 433

As we have not contemplated the construction
of rearing ponds in connection with our supposed
hatchery — a somewhat costly business — things have
now reached a stage when two matters of importance
have to be considered. The first is, where are the fry
to be put ? And the second, how are they to be con-
veyed to the spot ? The first of these will, of course,
depend upon what kind of waters one has it in mind
to stock, and also whether we have been preparing to
stock them with sea-trout and salmon, or with trout
only. If salmon or sea- trout, or both, we may safely
put the fry into any clear, running stream. Wherever
there is gravel, running water, and marginal growth,
the fry will find both security and food and may safely
be left to themselves. Should our stock be trout, the
same principles will apply to the restocking of a river.
If, however, one is restocking a reservoir or natural
loch, local conditions require to be studied. Any small
feeders, if such exist, which promise to afford both food
and shelter will be the place to put the fry. They will
very soon fall back to the main sheet when they require
a wider space to range in. But if no feeders are avail-
able, the fry must be placed in the loch itself. When
this has to be done, a shallow sheltered side of the water
should be selected, and instinct will teach the young
fish how to protect themselves. Undoubtedly many
will fall victims to numerous enemies of all kinds, but
their numbers allow considerable margin for casualties.

In any event the brood should be from 3 to 4 in.

28

434 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

in length after one year, and from 6 to 8 in. in
length in two years if trout and sea-trout. Salmon
do not exceed 6 or 6^ in. in length prior to migra-
tion.

As to the carriage of the fry, we have found that
they carry most easily and conveniently in large glass
wicker-covered carboys, such as are used in chemical
works. The carboys should be full of water to prevent
jarring in transit, and not crowded to excess with fish.
Should there be any risk of delay, or the journey be
long, fresh water should occasionally be added. With
ordinary luck the whole consignment will safely reach
its destination.

We have not overlooked that the hatchery may be
stocked with eyed ova purchased from one or other of
our well-known hatchery companies. Eyed ova, if
carefully packed, stand well the vicissitudes of a long
journey. The main points to be observed are that the
consigner thoroughly understands the route and the
various means of transit between the point of departure
and the end of the journey. Van, train, steamer, cart
— all may have to be requisitioned before the hatchery
is reached, and all should be accurately timed before
the consignment begins its travels. There should also
be complete understanding by the consignee as to the
time of arrival of the ova, so that arrangements may
be made for the final stage of the journey, and every-
thing be in readiness at the hatchery. Telegrams
ought to pass between the parties intimating and con-

FISH HATCHING ON A MODEST SCALE 435

firming the dispatch of the ova. The further career
of the purchased eyed ova from that stage onwards
will follow the lines already described in the foregoing
pages.

It may be of interest to add that at Luss the only
difficulty of collecting ova from salmon, sea-trout, and
fario has been caused by untimely floods. In four out
of the seven seasons during which the hatchery has
been in operation, the ova treated have been supple-
mented by consignments of eyed ova from Howietoun
and the Solway Fisheries Co., at Dumfries, represent-
ing approximately 596,000 fario ova. In the seven
seasons an approximate total of 1,611,000 ova of all
species has been treated, of which 1,576,000 have been
reared and distributed as healthy fry.

The whole hatchery arrangements were designed
by Mr. Thomas Duff, I.M., Glasgow, a member of
the Loch Lomond Angling Improvement Association.
Its practical management has been in the competent
hands of Mr. Walter M'Diarmid, Luss, from the
beginning.

NOTES BY EDITOR

The Royal Commission on Pollution of Rivers have
made some interesting experiments at Coleburn, Banff-
shire, with distillery effluent. The operations were
conducted under the direction of Mr. Littlefield, with
the view to avoid pollution of the river Spey.

436 THE KEEPERS BOOK

Complete success has crowned the efforts of the
experimenter, as salmon ova not only hatched out in
the effluent three days earlier than in the Spey water,
but the fry grew faster in it than in the ordinary
water.

Another discovery worthy of notice is a cheap
way to supply feeding to lochs before stocking with
trout. To encourage food, place large bundles of
bracken, weighted down by large stones, all round
margin of loch in two feet of water, and allow
it to decompose ; this will prove a hatchery and
sanctuary for mollusca and all sorts of fresh-water
shrimps ; a large increase in size of trout will soon be
observable. P. J. M.

COST OF ARTIFICER'S WORK OF HATCHERY AT Luss.
I. The Hatchery

£ s. d.

1. Removing turf and preparing site @ 95 090

2. $" x 2" Sawn standards and runners of walls (red pine),

440 lin. ft. @ 2d 3 13 4

3. 21 Do. stakes in ground under sole runner each 24" long,

to be charred and well tarred, and the runner spiked

to do. © $d. . . 089

4. \%' White pine tongued and grooved flooring in 6£"

breadths, on outside of walls well tarred on outside,

76 sq. yds. @ is. 9d 6130

5. i£" Beads at angles, 37 lin. ft. @ 2d 062

6. %" White pine half-checked serking on inside, 68 sq. yds.

@ is. . . |V , ... . 3 8 °

Forward ^14 1 8 3

FISH HATCHING ON A MODEST SCALE 437

£ s. d.
Forward ^14 1 8 3

7. 6¥ x 2|" White pine spars of roof, checked to runners at

top and bottom, 162 lin. ft. @ 2d. [i J » f . I 7 o

8. 6" x 2" Do. dwangs betwixt do., 34 lin. ft. @ 2d. . . 058

9. f White pine half-checked serking on do., include

doubling fillets at sides, 40 sq. yds. @ is. . . . 200

10. Tarred felt on serking in two thicknesses, 40 sq. yds. @ is. 200

11. Packing with sawdust space between flooring and serking

of walls 5" thick, 69 sq. yds. @ 3d o 17 3

1 2. if" Fixed sashes with astragals glazed with sheet glass, and

primed and painted, 2 coats (red pine), 26 sq. ft. @ 8d. 017 4

13. f" Chamfered checks to do. ( — do.—), 34 lin. ft. @ 2d. . 058

14. f Bevelled weather plate over sashes ( — do. — ) 8 lin. ft.

@ 3d •....'• ; • -', .020

15. if" Framed and lined door ( — do. — ), 20 sq. ft. @ is. . i o o

16. f' Chamfered checks ( — do. — ), 16 lin. ft. @ 2d. . , 028

17. Do. facings (—do.—), 17 lin. ft. @ 2d. . .. . . o 2 10

1 8. i Pair 6" d. j. hinges and screws @ 6d. . , . .006

19. i Galvanised iron 6" rim lock with brass mounting and

four keys @ 55 .,.050

20. Fitting and hanging and onputting mounting of i door

@ 2s. 020

II. Hatching Boxes. — All dovetailed at corners and raggled and
jointed with white lead

21. i£" Dressed deal bottoms of boxes in boards, 6'.9"x i'.7",

64 sq. ft. @ 8d. . . ... , . " V . 228

22. Do. sides and ends of do. 6" deep, 50 sq. ft. @ 8d. . . i 13 4

23. 2"X2" Double checked teak framing of grille sliders,

scalloped on under edge 40 lin. ft. 6 in. @ 8d. . . 170

24. |" x i" Plain do. do., 8 1 lin. ft. @ id. . 069

25. i£"x i" Checked teak frame of grilles, 160 lin. ft. @ 2d. . i 6 8

26. 2^" x y Bevelled (pine) fillet at end of box, 9 lin. ft. 6 in.

@ id 009

27. Fine wire gauze 6" broad tacked on to box, 9 lin. ft. 6 in.

@ is .096

Note. — Superseded by perforated zinc screen.

28. 3" x 2" Mill dressed framing under boxes, 162 lin. ft. @ i jd.

29. §" Deal boxes for overflow, 14 sq. ft. 6 in. @ 6d.

Forward ^32 16 n

438

THE KEEPER'S BOOK

£ s. d.
Forward £32 16 u

III. Water Supply

30. y Lead 7 Ib. supply pipe and laying in track where

required, 66 lin. ft. @ 7d. . . . . . . i 18 6

31. 8 Solder joins of branch supplies @ is 080

32. i Brass £" screw down stop-cock @ 55 050

33. 10 do. $•" do. nose-cocks @ 55. 6d. . . . 2 15 o

34. Forming connection of lead pipe to 3" iron pipe, include

boring and tapping and brass ferrule @ 175. 6d. . . o 17 6

35. 2" Lead 5 Ib. waste pipe, include laying in track where

required, 60 lin. ft. @ is 30

36. 4 Lead flanges in bottom of boxes @ Qd 03

37. 4" Fireclay drain pipe, include digging track and filling

up, 12 lin. yds. @ 2s. ."'.,' 14

38. 2 Bends on do. @ 2s. 04

39. 2 Eyes on do. @ 2s. . . .* . .04

40. i Y. junction piece @ 2s. ... . . . . 02

41. Connecting drain with lead waste @ 2s. 6d. . . .02

42. Charring timber of boxes 05

43. Executing all jobbings and removing rubbish at comple-

tion @ IQS o 10 o

Total Contract Price £44 15 5

IV. Glass Grille System

44. 2500 Glass tubes 6§"x J" (carriage 2s. 6d.) per 100 © 45. .

45. 1200 Do.

do. (carriage 2s.) per 100 @ 35. 8d. .

5 2

2 6

V. Basket System

46. Cost of perforated zinc baskets .••;•» • • • 6 6

Total Original Cost ^58 10

NOTES

NOTES

CHAPTER XXIII

MISCELLANEOUS DUTIES

As supplementary to the many questions that we have
discussed throughout this book, we append a few notes
on questions of miscellaneous yet very important
interest, which lie within the routine work of the
keeper.

( i ) The very first duty of a keeper on entering a
new situation is to ascertain his boundaries and walk
round his marches. When he is able to obtain the
assistance of the outgoing keeper or of an under-keeper,
this is simple enough, but there are often instances
where he is unable to do this, and there are occasions
when a keeper cannot at the time of his arrival obtain
the advice of his master, who may not appear at the
shooting till August or September. When the property
is very extensive, he will, of course, consult any plan or
map of the ground that may exist, and should not
hesitate to make inquiries from the farmers and
shepherds. It often happens on very large moorland
shootings that the new keeper has some difficulty with
the outlying beats, and may inadvertently trespass on
ground not under his charge. He may, under these

441

442 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

circumstances, discover his mistake by observing the
marks on the sheep, and may note the difference between
the ones he knows belong to his own ground, and those
which are on the ground on to which he has inadvert-
ently trespassed. The difference in the marks may help
to put him right.

(2) Some time before the shooting season the keeper
should make a systematic inquiry into the following
questions : —

(a) Any necessary assistance in the way of

under - keepers, gillies, beaters, and
drivers.

(b) The hiring or buying of hill and other ponies

and horses, panniers, game bags, cartridge
bags, game carts, coop carts, etc. etc.

(c) Dogs, the number required, and if to be

hired or bought ; their condition and
capacity for work. Chains and leashes,
condition of kennels, food and bedding,
etc.

(d) Ferrets, number required ; their condition

and capacity for work ; presence and
condition of living accommodation, food,
etc.

(e) Tools. — The proper supply of spades, flags,

and sticks for beaters and drivers, flankers,
and stops ; the accessories of the gunroom —
oils, tow, etc. ; the keeper's personal tools
— e.g. corkscrew, cartridge-extractor, knife,

MISCELLANEOUS DUTIES 443

matchbox, watch, flask, whistle, and
whip.

(f) Baskets, boxes, and labels for game.

(g) Arrangements for selling game.

(^) The keeper's gun and ammunition ; condition
of fishing-rods, fly-book, hackle case, waders,
gaffs, landing - nets, fishing - baskets, and
bags.

(i) Licences.

(/) Drugs for horses, dogs, and ferrets.
(&) Cleaning and disinfecting material for stables
(where there are no coachman or stable
hands), kennels, ferret boxes, and runs.
(/) Boats — oars. Number and condition of repair

— boat chains, balers, etc.

(3) The keeper and his underlings must always be
on the alert to assist in the following courteous actions
— (a) Giving all assistance in their power at luncheon
time, for instance by supplying game bags or other
forms of seats for the shooters, by putting soda-water
bottles into running streams for the purpose of cooling,
by opening wine, beer, or whisky bottles, by laying
out the contents of the luncheon basket, and by care-
fully stowing away the de*bris of the luncheon before
the guns start shooting again ; (b) holding guns while
the sportsmen get over or through dykes, gates, or
hedges ; (c) procuring waterproofs or any change of
clothing which may have been brought on to the shoot-
ing-ground ; (d) carrying the gun of any sportsman who

444 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

may desire to be temporarily relieved of it ; (e) opening
gates or otherwise assisting the guns to pass through
or over obstacles ; (/) indicating the proximity to good
springs and burns ; (g) making inquiries from time to
time as to any desire on the sportsmen's part for more
cartridges ; (k) assisting the guns to make themselves
as comfortable as possible in the butts ; and (i) the
hundred other little attentions that will suggest them-
selves to the courteous servant.

(4) The keeper must look to his health. This is
not only a duty to himself, but also to his master ; must
wear flannels next his skin, and have clothing and boots
that will give him suitable protection from the vagaries
of climate. He must see that he does not fall back
upon the idiotic notion that, by putting whisky in, he
can keep cold out, and make this habit an excuse for
not changing his wet clothes. The latter must be
serviceable, tidy, and quiet, and not of a pattern and
colour that will scare game a mile away.

(5) The keeper, when off active shooting duty,
should go about with a dog, and one which he gives a
reputation for ferocity (even if it be as mild as a toy
spaniel). He will thus be a terror to mischievous small
boys and other minor depredators.

Of other miscellaneous duties the following will come
under his observation : —

Larders. — It seems hardly necessary to say that
there should be on every shooting lodge two larders,
one for meat and the other for game. Larders should

MISCELLANEOUS DUTIES 445

be large, clean, and airy. On no account should the
flooring be too near the ground. An ideal larder would
have the flooring four feet from the ground, and so
placed as to ensure a free current of air passing be-
neath it. This ideal larder is built of stone or brick,
tiled inside, and contains large windows, " paned " with
perforated zinc, which open to the east, west, and north,
the south side only being built solid and windowless
for the sake of coolness. A small compartment for
the use of the cook should be framed off from main
larder, with a small window opening into it, through
which the keeper gives game for the use of the
house. The keeper has sole control of his larder,
and the cook of hers, by a separate door ; this
arrangement saves much annoyance. Height is an
important point in the consideration of space, and
on no account should a ventilator on the roof be
omitted.

An ideal larder, if only wood is employed, is to have
both the meat and the game larders fairly close to-
gether, enclosed in a large wooden framework, which
is covered with very finely perforated zinc or small
meshed wire. This is a second protection and keeps out
all flies, while allowing in on every side a free draught of
air. The roof should be high, covered with shingles
or slates. Entry is by door covered with wire. The
floor is of concrete for cleanliness, and on that floor
stands the two wooden larders one foot off the ground,
thus a double protection against dust and insects ; and

446 THE KEEPERS BOOK

the roof of course shields the larders inside entirely
from the rays of the sun. The inside larders have of
course the usual perforated zinc windows. Door of the
outside framework, as well as the larders inside, being
all under lock and key.

There should be shutters on the outside of the
perforated zinc windows, which should be closed in
stormy weather, to prevent dust, etc., from being blown
into the larder. The shelves inside should be of slate,
and, of course, there should be plenty of hooks on which
to hang the game, and in regular rotation as to the
date of killing. Omission of the latter point is bound
to lead to confusion in the mind of the cook. The larder,
of course, must be kept thoroughly clean. The best
site for a larder is a high mound, shaded, if possible,
from the hot sun, and in a position to have the ad-
vantage of the prevailing wind and the benefit of any
airs that blow. Spots under trees should be avoided,
as the drip off the leaves is not favourable to that
freedom from damp which is necessary for keeping
game.

Disposal of Game. — When game is to be disposed
of to dealers, arrangements should be made, before the
shooting season, with respectable firms, and a contract
price fixed, if possible, for the whole season, as many
dealers are apt to return any price they like, varying it
according to the character of the sportsman. If the
latter happens to be an indifferent, easy-going person,
the price is likely to be a small one ; but if he is an

MISCELLANEOUS DUTIES 447

exacting man, the sportsman will find he is able to
gather better quotations. The keeper should ask for
estimates from several dealers before accepting any
particular offer.

In packing game for the dealer, the following rules
should be observed : — (i) All game should be thoroughly
cool before being packed ; (2) Fur and feather should
not be packed in the same basket ; (3) Feathers should
be carefully brushed and straightened, the head being
placed along with a piece of heather under one of the
wings ; (4) The heaviest birds should be placed at the
bottom ; (5) All badly shot birds should be kept for
home use ; (6) Baskets should, if possible, be dispatched
by train or steamer on the evening of the day on which
the game is killed. Many keepers are apt to postpone
the dispatch of game till the following day, and this
often accounts for the bad returns sportsmen receive
from the dealers. (7) A note of the quantity of game
dispatched should be given to the sportsman, and
should also be sent to the game-dealer.

Game Book. — The keeper's game-book should be
kept correctly, regularly, and methodically. Details of
the day's sport should be filled in every evening, and
on no account should they be left over till the following
day. The facts entered should include the number of
guns, the details of the bag, the number of hours the
guns were shooting, the state of the weather, the part
of the ground shot over, and any particular and interest-
ing circumstances relating to the day's sport that may

448 THE KEEPERS BOOK

have appealed to the keeper. It is as well also that
notes be kept referring to the points of interest con-
nected with the breeding season, also as to the stock
of birds left on the ground after the shooting season is
over.

NOTES

29

NOTES

CHAPTER XXIV

TIPS

IT is neither easy nor pleasant to speak frankly on the
matter of tips, and as it is a question that essentially
concerns the master and his guests, it might seem an
irrelevant subject for a keeper's book. And yet we
feel that it will not do any particular harm for the
keeper to listen to us " thinking aloud," and whilst we
address a few observations to all whom it may concern.
What was originally a recognition of good and special
service has now, in every branch of life, come to be
regarded as a matter of form, apart altogether from the
fairness or justice of the question. In the cases of
certain well-known restaurants where waiters are not
paid, and are even compelled in many instances to pay
for the privileges of their positions, a tip is in reality
no longer a tip — it is a wage, and a most unfair and
mean attempt on behalf of the proprietors to throw
upon the pockets of the public the payment of their
servants, while they retain sole control and the right
of dismissal. It is generally admitted that the man who
pays the piper calls the tune, and yet while the public
pay the wages they have to take such service as they

451

452 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

get, while the proprietor is the master. It is a difficult
thing for a man to serve two masters. Of course, as at
present, such tips are not obligatory in law, yet the
justice of them appeals more or less to all concerned.
The sooner the system is abolished, however, the better.
But we do not wish to insult our friends by placing
their servants in the same category as the unpaid waiter,
and yet the conduct of many of these servants seems
to be so regulated by the size of their tips that there is
an occasional suspicion that the establishment in which
they serve is run on the restaurant line. The practice
of indiscriminate tipping has crept into every depart-
ment of estate and household life, until the stable, the
covert, the moor, the kitchen, and the pantry have all
become free-flowing drains from thepocket of the guest.
And it is not only the guest that suffers. The abhorrent
practice of secret commissions, and the high-handed way
in which many servants demand them, have compelled
even trades-people to submit to this form of tyranny
from pure sense of self-protection, with the result that
the swindling is reflected back upon the master. In
a large number of cases the tradesman is chosen, not
from the quality and comparative cheapness of his goods,
but from the liberality of his tipping capacities. This
line of procedure harms the master in two ways : he
does not get the best value for his money, and he has
the price of his goods raised so as to recoup the trades-
man for the money he has doled out to the master's
servants in bribes. Let us take an example relevant

TIPS 453

to the particular class of servant we are at present deal-
ing with. Every competent keeper should, of course,
be able to prepare his own pheasant food ; if he is not,
he does not possess one of the primary qualifications
for his post. Yet it will be observed how eager many
keepers are to run up large accounts with pheasant food
manufacturers — either from laziness, or more often that
they may receive the commission offered by certain
firms to induce keepers to buy their commodities.
We were told recently by a dealer in keepers' requisites
that when he began business he tried to deal honestly
by the employers, by not giving commissions to the
servant, but so unusual did he find the practice, and
so great was the dissatisfaction of the keeper, that
he found that his chance of doing business was in
danger, and he had, much against his will and against
his sense of right, to pay the usual " blackmail " to the
keeper, the amount of which was, of course, added to
the price of the commodity supplied. Stable requisites
from saddlers are increased 25 per cent, to cover the
blackmail of coachmen andgrooms ; and a corn merchant
recently informed us that the demands for commission
are so great that they have become a severe tax upon
his profits, " for," said he, with feeling, " there is a limit
of price at which even the most careless master will
stop." Admitting those indisputable facts, all em-
ployers, on engaging their servants, while agreeing to
pay them good, even liberal, wages, should make it
clear that they will allow no secret commissions, and

454 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

should indicate these facts to all manufacturers and
merchants with whom they are dealing, and intimate
that any suggested change in their business relations
must be decided by them and not by their servants.
In the majority of cases the dealer would be only too
pleased to do business on these lines. With servants
running riot in this way, it is no wonder so many people
cannot live on their own places, but have to let them
and go abroad, and so escape from the thraldom of
unscrupulous servants.

An Act has now been passed prohibiting secret
commissions. We are glad to observe that this has
had good effect, and numbers of dealers in com-
modities under servants' control have only been too
glad to escape from their blackmail. It only wants a
little backbone and a little co-operation on the part of
such firms to continue to resist any inroad, which may
creep in through time, towards a renewal of this
objectionable practice. A hint to the master would
speedily put an end to it, and prevent the Act from
becoming a dead letter.

From this form of " baksheesh" we pass to the
question of tipping as it affects shooting guest and
keeper. Now it is quite unnecessary for us to admit
that there are a large number of shootings at which
the traditions of moderate tipping are so maintained
that no one except the meanest or the most cantanker-
ous misanthrope objects to the common usage of
recognising the services of the keeper by a small

TIPS 455

present of money. While we condemn blackmail,
secret commissions, or baksheesh in toto, our object is
not to advocate the abolition of tipping, but merely to
press home the point that it should be kept in modera-
tion, and with this all sensible keepers will agree. But
if we count these shootings by the tens, we can
enumerate the other sort by the twenties ; and so ex-
cessive are the expectations of some keepers in these
latter cases, that it is only the man of unlimited or very
great means who can accept invitations to shoot. The
man of moderate means, in fact, has to fall back upon
moderate shootings, and the only deduction we can
draw from this fact is that a guest has in reality to pay
for his sport. We all know the story of the " Sovs.
and Half-Sovs." "Put the sovereigns at the wood
end, Bill, and the half-sovs. can walk with the beaters
and stop back." But nowadays " sovs. and half-sovs."
pale before the two guineas and the five-pound notes
which are expected by some keepers, not for rendering
any particular individual services, but simply because
they are ipso facto keepers, and expect to be paid by
the guests for the birds which they have had sent over
the guns. So marked is the disagreeable attitude of
some keepers to men of moderate means, that we are
not surprised to hear of the increasing difficulty experi-
enced by some sportsmen of getting guns. And it is
a curious fact that, in our small experience at least,
some of the very best shots are comparatively poor
men, and not scions of an irresponsible plutocracy.

456 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

Nothing is more galling to a good sportsman than to
challenge him with an unsportsmanlike action, and yet
the mere fact that he encourages the pernicious habit
of reckless overtipping proves him to be careless of
the interests of his brother guns. Such being the case,
he is not a good sportsman.

We have constantly heard the argument put thus :
" Surely the keeper of a good shoot should be tipped
higher than that of a moderate one. " Not of necessity.
The keeper of the moderate shoot may show his birds
better than that of the good shoot, if such a fact is
to be taken into consideration. The same argument
would apply in the case of a butler who gave us Chateau
Lafite, and another who was only able to supply us
with M^doc. " But," our friends reply, "in the case
of the big covert shoot, look at the enormous labour
involved." Are the guests, then, to be payers of
wages ? We reply, Certainly not. We give tips, not
as part of a man's salary, but in recognition of special
services rendered to us, or from desire to recognise the
marked efficiency of the keeper : and in the latter case
we give from our free will, and not in accordance with
any stereotyped tyranny — a tyranny which found its
most obnoxious and altogether unbearable expression
in the case of a keeper who was seen to hold the
proffered tip in his hand, to regard it with a look which
combined curiosity with disdain, and then to hand it
back with the remark that it was not up to his standard.

The following stories are vouched for as true, though

TIPS 457

hardly credible. A sportsman was called away to town
after the first day's cover shoot, and, having another
shoot a few miles off, asked the keeper to send on his
gun and cartridges by train to be waiting him there,
tipping him a sovereign for the day's sport. Arriving
at the shoot a few days later, he was surprised not to
find his gun, etc., and telegraphed for them, and got
back a reply from the keeper, " I will send on your
gun when you give me my proper and usual tip, two
sovereigns." Sending this letter to the keeper's master,
he got the reply, " I can't interfere. Besides, it's the
middle of my shooting season and I can't afford to
quarrel or part with my keeper — better pay. " Another.
— Smoke-room. Host informs his guests, " My
keeper's tip is a fiver." They all decided to tip low.
None were asked back. The only conclusion one can
draw from these stories is that the master was a cad and
looked to his guests to pay his servants.

The nouveau riche we fear is the sinner who has
encouraged heavy tipping, which is a species of selfish-
ness, prompted by two reasons : first, in order that he
might get the best of everything; and, secondly, to show
that he has plenty of money. The first reason is un-
sportsmanlike, and inconsiderate of his fellow-guests,
while the secondshowshim tobe vulgar and purseproud.

In studying the matter of tips, it were as well to get
to the foundation of the habit. Etymologically the
word means something small, and originally it meant
something secret or sub rosd ; now it has grown to mean

458 THE KEEPER'S BOOK

something big and something very much advertised
and above the table. We began to tip porters when
we found that they had to deal with very heavy luggage,
or when they ran for our cabs, or were in any way
particularly smart ; now we tip them as a matter of
course. A tip was, and ought to be now, a recognition
of special service. We tip the valet because he looks
after our clothes, and we tip the gamekeeper, not for
having a fine stock of hand-reared pheasants, but
because he cleans our guns, or holds them as we get over
fences, or helps us at the luncheon hour. If every man
remembered this fact, tipping would come back again
to that level of moderation which seems not only
desirable but necessary.

As we have said, it is no pleasant task to write on
this subject. A charge of meanness is abhorrent to
every Briton, and more so to every sportsmen of the
race, and in the long-run it is better to give too much
than too little. But let not our argument be interpreted
as a subtle apology for meanness. There are hundreds
of first-class keepers who deserve every farthing they
get, and there are no tips that are given with greater
delight than the tips to the keepers who have shown
birds flying high and strong, who have worked their
beaters or their dogs to the satisfaction of everybody,
and to the advantage of the bag, who combine, in all
they do, skill with courtesy and energy with patience,
who present our guns every morning as clean as the
day they left the gunmaker. Especially do we

TIPS 459

rejoice to recognise the keeper who gives us a
good day over dogs, who is keen that we should go
on, who works his ground for all that it is worth, and
who is interested in the way we shoot, and anxious
that he, his underlings, and his dogs should do us more
than justice. Such a keeper does not look upon us as
the mere carrier of a tip. He performs his duties out
of respect to his master's wishes, out of love of the
sport itself, and principally from that noble self-respect
which is the foundation of all capable labour. Where
such a keeper is in charge, there will not be heard the
common complaint that a man cannot go for a week-
end's shooting without five pounds in his pocket, two of
which are to go into the pocket of the keeper, one to be
given to a loader, and the other two to be distributed
amongst the rest of the men-servants in the establish-
ment. This is a great hindrance to hospitality, and
deprives hosts of the pleasure of entertaining their
friends. Many of the most amusing and charming of
guests are often the poorest, and we know of cases
where the host has had actually to supply the tips for
his guests, in order to facilitate a more pleasant
departure. This is a wrong state of matters, and it is
a pity it should exist. There are one or two isolated
cases where no tips are allowed on any pretext in the
houses of wealthy men, and an arrangement is come
to between the master and his servants for a bonus
being paid at the end of the season according to scale,
instead of the usual tips. This plan should become

460 THE KEEPERS BOOK

more general. It would mean very little extra ex-
penditure to the host, and it would save him many an
unpleasant upsetting in his household, by servants
choosing the most inconvenient time to give notice.
He would thus get better service, and retain a more
complete control ; in any case, they would wish to be
on their best behaviour and remain on till the annual
distribution. Ladies should be exempt from tipping
men-servants in any circumstances, and head-keepers
only should be tipped ; under-keepers wait their pro-
motion before they are recognised. In other houses
it is the custom to place a money-box marked
" Keeper's Fund " in the gun-room. This is advo-
cated by Lord Walsingham, and is an excellent
plan.

It is not possible to suggest any absolute scale of
tips that might be regarded as a reasonable average.
Of course if a man be very poor his tip must be very
small, and in certain cases it should not be given at
all. For instance, where a keeper has by bungling and
incapacity shown poor sport, not only has he put the
guests to considerable trouble in coming with the inten-
tion of shooting, and spending a pleasant day, while it
has only been one of annoyance, but he has heaped
on his master a considerable indignity, and made him
ashamed of his shoot, as well as his servants. Many
masters on such an occasion intimate to their guests
there will be no tips. For a week's stay at a house
where there is, say, three days' shooting over dogs, an

TIPS 461

average and fair tip from each guest would be a pound
from a man who was fairly well off, and ten shillings
from the man of moderate means, a few shillings being
given to the man or boy who carries the cartridge bag.
For a single day's grouse shooting, five to ten shillings
is a good and moderate fee ; ten shillings is a very
generous one. For a day's covert shooting the same
applies, although we have generally found that the
common tip, especially in England, at the first shoots,
is a pound a day. In small or single day shoots it is
a usual and sensible practice for the guests, where they
intend to give a tip, to consult together and all give
the same ; and let the tip be moderate and to suit the
pocket of all, so that no one will feel that he has given
more than he can afford or wishes to. It may be laid
down as a safe and general law that no tip, unless in
those very exceptional cases where a man has made a
prolonged visit to a shooting, should exceed a sovereign,
and that no man of moderate means should be ashamed
of giving half that amount, or nothing at all if he is so
minded. It must be remembered that it is purely a
mark of goodwill and a present, and in no way should
be expected, and that a sportsman loses nothing by
the supposed loss of esteem of a greedy keeper or
servants of any kind ; nor in such a case should he
hesitate should he wish to accept the hospitality of
such a shoot again. Finally, the necessity for heavy
tipping does not now exist, as every master who is a
real sportsman, and anxious to do each guest justice,

462 THE KEEPERS BOOK

places the guns himself, instead of leaving his duty to
the keeper.

Secret commissions come within the category of
tips, and although they are in reality a species of dis-
honesty, which tips are not, they have almost grown
to be recognised as respectable. Since the passing of
the Act to prohibit it, however, the practice has very
much declined, and rightly too. There is a society
now in existence to carry out the provisions of this
useful Act, and it is to be hoped that all who have it
within their power will endeavour to prevent it from
becoming a dead letter.

NOTES

NOTES

INDEX

Adders, 117.
Angler-fish, 390.
Angling law, 363.

Badger, 105.

Baksheesh, 451.

Bass fishing, 388, 405.

Black game, 187 ; driving, 189 ;

poaching, 191.
Bracken, 171.
Brailsford rabbit trap, 265.
Burgess rabbit trap, 263.
Butts, 1 80.
Buzzard, 120.

Capercailzie, 317.

Cat, wild, 1 10.

Cats, poaching, 59.

Chorea in dogs, 91.

Close times, tables of, 62 ; for

salmon, 365, 380.
Coalfish, 406.
Coarse fish, 379.
Cocks, destruction of old, 162.
Cod fishing, 406.
Conger eel fishing, 389, 405.
Convulsions in dogs, 92.
Coveys, exchange of, 161.
Crows, 130.
Cruickshank rabbit trap, 263.

Dead matter, removal of, 168.
Decoy duck shooting, 308.
Deer, deterioration of heads, 239.
Deerstalker, dress of, 229.
Deerstalking, 227.
Distemper in dogs, 89.

30

Dog, the, 67 ; exhibition of, 70 ;
selection, 72 ; training, 75 ;
choice of breed, 84 ; common
ailments, 86 ; kennels, 94.

Dog-fish, 390.

Dogs, poaching, 59.

Duck, wild, 291 ; stalking, 298.

Eagle, golden, 118.

Eczema in dogs, 93.

Eggs, exchange of, 160.

Excise licences, tables of, 63, 64.

Farmers, relations with, 21 ; rights,

law of, 46.
Farm hands, employment of, in

sport, 26.

Feeding birds in hard weather, 156.
Feeding- ground, improvement of,

168.

Ferrets, 258 ; disease of, 260.
Fish hatchery, 417 ; rearing ponds,

433 ; carriage of fry, 434 ; cost

of, 436.
Fish, hatching, 415 ; method of

handling, 425 ; ova treatment,

427.

Fishing gillie, 343.
Fishmongers Company of London,

372.

Fits in dogs, 92.

Flighting of wildfowl, 303 ; wild-
goose, 311.
Fox, 107.
Fresh water (Scotland) Act, 377.

Game-book, 447.

466

INDEX

Gamedealers' licences, 49.

Game, diseases of, 327 ; disposal

of, 446.
Game laws, 42 ; leading books on,

61.

Goose, wild, 310.

Grey mullet fishing, 388, 405.

Grouse, artificial rearing of, 172 ;
picking up and packing, 186 ;
shooting, over dogs, 173 ; driv-
ing, 176; disease, 327.

Gun cleaning, 339.

Gun licences, 48.

Hares, 320.

Heather burning, 150; law of,

47-

Hedgehog, 115.
Hill ponies, 187.
Hints to loaders, 338.

Interbreeding, evil effects of, 158.

Keeper, apprentice, 143 5 his duties,
145.

Keepers, capable and incapable,
2 ; relationship between masters
and, 9; ideal, 13 ; authorities they
should consult, 16 ; relations
with farmers, etc., 21 ; friendship
with neighbours, 27 ; points in
law they should know, 39 ; mis-
cellaneous duties of, 441.

Kennels, 94.

Kestrel, 128.

Larders, 444.

Law, points a keeper should know,
39 ; things forbidden by, 57.

Licences to kill game, 50; in
Ireland, 51.

Loaders, 335 ; hints to, 338.

Loch trout fishing, 356 ; improve-
ment of, 358.

Lochs, feeding supplied to, 436.

Magpie, 131.

Mange in dogs, 92.

Master and servant, law of, 39.

Merlin, 127.

Miscellaneous sport, 315.

Moor, the, 149 ; heather burning
on, 150; water supply, 153;
vermin, 156; poachers, 156;
feeding birds in hard weather,
156 ; introduction of new blood,
158 ; exchange of eggs, 160; of
coveys, 161 ; destruction of old
cocks, 162 ; judicious planting,
165 ; control of number of sheep,
1 66 ; improvement of feeding-
ground, 1 68 ; removal of dead
matter, 168 ; wire fences, 170;
telegraph wires, 170; bracken,
171 ; butts, 1 80.

Otter, 1 06.
Owls, 132.

Partridge, the, 195 ; cover for,
202 ; nests, eggs, and artificial
rearing, 204 ; feeding young,
212 ; improvement of stock, 215 ;
walking up, 218; driving, 222;
poaching, 224 ; disease of,

331-

Peregrine falcon, 121.

Pets, consideration of, 27.

Pheasant, the, 269 ; rearing, 271 ;
food, 278 ; poaching, 280 ; shoot-
ing, 281 ; placing of guns, 286 ;
disease of, 329.

Pigeon shooting, 316.

Plover, 315.

Poachers, 31 ; arrest of night,

53-
Poaching, 24, 52,54, 55, 156, 191,

224, 266, 280, 321, 366, 376;

Prevention Act, 56.
Poison, 57.
Pole-trap, 137.
Pollack fishing, 406.
Porpoises, 411.
Price's rabbit trap, 265.
Ptarmigan, 191.
Punting, 309.

Rabbit, the, 245 ; warren, 251 ;
shooting of, 256 ; ferrets and
ferreting, 258 ; keeping down,
261 ; traps, 263 ; poaching, 266 ;
disease, 332.

467

Rat, the, 116.

Raven, 129.

Rearing ponds for fish, 433.

Rheumatism in dogs, 93.

Rickets in dogs, 88.

Rivers, pollution of, 435.

Roe shooting, 320.

Salmon, fishing from bank, 343 ;
from boat, 351 ; harling, 355 ;
trolling, 356 ; legal definition of,
364 ; private rights, 365 ; close
times, 365, 380 ; netting, 365 ;
poaching, 366 ; fisheries (Scot-
land) Acts, 367 ; keepers and
water bailiffs, 370 ; hatching,
424 ; carriage of fry, 434.

Salt water fishing, 383 ; tackle for,
391 ; bait, 396 ; sport at various
resorts, 403.

Seals, 411.

Sewin, 288.

Shark fishing, 390, 406.

Sheep, control of number of, 166.

Shipley, Dr., on grouse disease, 328.

Shooting on Sunday, etc., 58.

Shooting rights, law of, 44.

Snipe, 321.

Sparrow hawk, 125.

Sport, a branch of science, 1 5 ;
authorities on, 1 5 ; miscellaneous,

Spring guns, 60.
Stoat, no.

Telegraph wires, 170.

Tips, 451.

Traps, vermin, 137 ; rabbit, 263.

Trout, legal definition of, 372

private rivers, 373 ; lochs, 374 ;

public rivers and lochs, 375 ;

poaching, 376 ; keepers and

water bailiffs, 378 ; hatching,

424 ; carriage of fry, 434 ;

feeding supplied to lochs, 436 ;

(Scotland) Acts, 376, 377.

Vermin, 103, 156; traps for,
137-

Water bailiffs, 370, 378.

Water supply on moors, 153.

Weasel, 112.

Whales, 411.

Whiting fishing, 406.

Wild Birds Protection Acts, 58.

Wildfowl : feeding, 307 ; shore
shooting, 308 ; bog shooting,
308 ; decoy duck-shooting, 308 ;
shooting afloat, 309; punting,

3°9-

Wildfowling in Scotland, 303.
Wire fences, 170.
Woodcock, 318.

Printed by
MORRISON & GIBB LIMITED

Edinburgh

Advertisements.

SCOTCH WHISKY.

We confine our business entirely to Scotch
Whisky, and to compete with the Stores our
prices are fixed at lowest possible cost for
cash business, and will be found to be 2/'- to
6/- per gallon lower than our competitors;
quality is our first consideration. All our
Whiskies come direct out of Distillery Bonds.

BLENDS.

Per Gall. Per Doz.

THE MACKINTOSH. (A Connoisseur's 10 Years Old) 25/3 52/6
STIRLING LIQUEUR. (15 Years Old) . ... 29/3 60/6
GINGER WHISKY. (Old Liqueur) . 52/-

An excellent after-dinner digestive, and invaluable for
warding off chills on the moors and hunting field.

CLEAR WHISKY. (Red Cross Brand.) Special

Reserve 26/- 60/-

For Gouty Patients a Medicinal Speciality.

We prefer to sell our own Blends, but where others are wanted we
have made a selection of the best-known Blend, also a single Whisky
direct from Distillery — Pure Malt Pot Still, and after careful sampling
make a speciality of the following two : —

WHITE HORSE CELLAR. (10 Years Old) 54/-

The Famous Coaching Blend of 1742.

SPECIALLY SELECTED "LAGAVULIN." (10 Years

Old) 54/-

also Glengrant, Clynelish, Talisker, Oban, Craigellachie, from 8 to 10
Years Old, at prices from 255. to 305. per Gallon according to Age.

Carriage paid. Casks and Jars charged extra.
Terms: i.:j per cent, for cash in 14 days, or 3 months net.

Being only Wholesale Retailers, we cannot send single
bottles as samples, but will send an assorted case of one
dozen bottles — which is the smallest quantity we can sell
by law — of two bottles of each of above Blends, on
receipt of cheque for 535.

MACKINTOSH & MACKINTOSH,

Scotcl? Wljislfy Bleeders,

STIRLING, N.B.

Advertisements.

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Nourishing, Appetising. Fatigue and Thirst

CAN'T RESIST " LITTLE PETER."

Brewed at Burton from only the Best Malt and Hops.

ft /O Per dozen. Order from your Grocer
JLI O or Wine Merchant to-day.

IP ANY DIFFICULTY IS EXPERIENCED WRITE TO
PETER WALKER & SON (WARRINGTON & BURTON)
LTD., 105 DUKE STREET, LIVERPOOL.

Advertisements.

WHISKY.

GREAT AGE AND BOUQUET.

Estab. 1742.

This Whisky is distinguished by its
great age and bouquet. It is dry, pure,
and not loaded with sweetening like
many cheap whiskies.

It is amongst whiskies what Pommery
is in Champagne or Chateau Lafite in
Claret.

Mixes equally well in Plain or Aerated
Waters.

Ask specially for WHITE HORSE,

and not merely whisky, and see you
get it.

MACKIE & CO. DISTILLERS L™

LAGAVULIN DISTILLERY, ISLAND OF ISLAY,

GLASGOW AND LONDON.

Advertisements.

CLASGOW.

ST. ENOCH STATION HOTEL. Best centre for
Business Gentlemen, Families, and Tourists for Western
Highlands, Trossachs, and the Firth of Clyde.

Newly arranged Suites of Sitting-, Bed-, and Bathrooms
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STATION HOTEL ; for Burns' Cottage, Monument, and
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TURTC KERRY,

STATION HOTEL. Two fine iS-Hole Golf Courses. Sea
Water Baths. Tennis. Croquet. Bowls. Garage. Stables.

Ideal Centre for Autumn, Winter, or Spring Holiday.

Fcr further particulars, address "RESIDENT MANAGER"
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J. H. THOMAS, Manager,
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Telegrams : " Souwestern. ' '

. . NEW . .

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MAYFAFR, LONDON, W.

The most Fashionable and Central position in London.

Absolute quietness, no thoroughfare or traffic passes the Hotel.
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The Restaurant with Foyer is one of the prettiest Dining
Rooms in London, as declared by visitors and Press. . .

A unique feature is the Heating and Ventilation
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The air is washed and purified before entering the Rooms.
Terms a la carte or en pension.

Telegrams: "Hotel Curzon, London." Telephone No. 8821 derrard.

6. HARWATH, Proprietor.

VI

A dvertisements.

The "GRAND,"

CHARING CROSS,

GLASGOW.

In close proximity to

S. ANDREW'S HALLS

and New King's

— Theatre. —

THE PREMIER

HOTEL IN THE

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SCOTLAND.

Telegraph Address
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Telephones :

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and 963 Charing
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Exquisitely Decorated and Superbly Furnished. Situation unequalled,
being within easy access of the various Railway Stations, the leading
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interest with which the City abounds. First- Class Cuisine. Boarding
Terms. Marriages, Dances, and Banquets.

Proprietors— THE GRAND HOTEL (Glasgow), Limited.

A. & J. MAIN & C° LTD

CLYDESDALE IRON WORKS,

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You are probably interested
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Pheasants, . .
Partridges, &
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We shall be pleased to
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which contain much use-
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our Price List of .

Game Foods and
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« , With testimonials,
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Our foods have upwards of
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VI11

Advertisements.

LAGAVULIN DISTILLERY.

ISLAND of ISLAY.

Argyll.

p properly at th» UwiiHwy

Dist'tlary BottlinJ-

EXTRA SELECTED

LAGAVULIN

GUARANTEED PURE MALT.
POT STILL— 15 YEARS OLD.

IT is pure genuine natural whisky, 15 years old, and the quality will
gain for it the custom of all connoisseurs of whisky as the best
value in the market, its distinguishing feature being softness,
bouquet, and great age.

Besides a few show-cards, the chief method of advertising adopted by
the proprietors is small samples of the Lagavulin in miniature bottles.

The Lagavulin Distillery is the oldest in Islay, the business having
been actually commenced in the year 1742. At that period it com-
prised ten separate little smuggling bothies clustered together at the
foot of the hills, on the shore of Lagavulin Bay, which place was
frequently the scene of daring encounters between the smugglers and
the Government officers. The old secrets are still preserved.

The mashman at Lagavulin Distillery has been in the employ for
over 55 years, and his father was mashman for 50 years before him,
and the grandson has already been 18 years. This is a record hard to
beat, and the average service of all the employees is over 25 years —
many of them over 30 and 40 years in the service.

The peat used for drying the malt is always kept for three years in a
covered shed.

Along with the malt we mash a certain proportion of young shoots of
heather bloom — to this is accountable the beautiful bouquet so many
have failed to imitate.

A year's supply of heather in full bloom is cut each September, tied
into small bundles, and stored carefully.

To be had from all First-class Wine Merchants, etc.

Advertisements.

IX

SAVOY HOTEL,

LONDON, W.C.

THE HOTEL DE LUXE
OF THE WORLD.

The comforts and luxury of the
Savoy Hotel, its cuisine and service,
combined with the most moderate
charges, place it absolutely in the
front rank of all Hotels in Europe.

QUSTAVE SEQGELKE, Qen. Manager.

HOTEL "TARIFF OF
CHARGES" AND ALL
INFORMATION SENT
ON APPLICATION TO
THE "MANAGER."

THE HOTEL .
OCCUPIES . .
THE FINEST
POSITION IN
EDINBURGH.

*

*

V Telegrams:
¥ "British,
@*>V Edinburgh."
*& Telephones:
e 47/2, 4773, 4774
Central.

The Hotel Porters are

in attendance on the

arrival of all principal

trains.

EDINBURGH.

HOTEL "TARIFF OF
CHARGES" AND ALL
INFORMATION SENT
ON APPLICATION TO
THE "MANAGER."

THE HOTEL .
OCCUPIES . .
THE FINEST
POSITION IN
GLASGOW.

«6V

' "Attractive,
J*^> Glasgow."

*y Telephones :
y National, 7490
^ Royal.

The Hotel Porters are

in attendance on the

arrival of all principal

rains.

GLASGOW.

THE HOTELS ARE OWNED AND MANAGED BY THE N.B.R. CO.

A dvertisements.

.

INCORPORATED WITH flf

H. B. FEARON, BLOCK & CO. LT.?

TRADE \\\l |C£iM/y MARK.
FOUNDED 1786.

Wine $ Spirit
Qigars.

39 HOLBORN VIADUCT, E.C.

AND

26A PARK LANE, w.,
LONDON.

TELEGRAMS: \ TELEPHONE No. 629,

'BLOCKANKO, LONDON." HOLBORN.

Advertisements. xi

GREAT NORTH OF SCOTLAND
RAILWAY.

THE ROYAL ROUTE TO THE NORTH AND THE
HIGHLANDS

is via ABERDEEN and the Great North
of Scotland Railway.

ROYAL DEESIDE, "The King's Highland Home."

Tourists and Visitors to Aberdeen (the Granite City) can visit Ballater,
Balmoral, and Braemar in one day comfortably by the quick and con-
venient train service to Ballater, and motors and char-a-bancs in connection
therewith. Special facilities for visiting these resorts, as well as Banchory
and Aboyne, on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons during summer.

GRUDEN BAY, "The Brighton of the North."

Delightful Seaside and Golfing Resort, 30 miles from Aberdeen. Fine,
hard, sandy beach over two miles long. Sea-bathing, Boating, Fishing.
Splendid rock scenery in district. Coupon Tickets to Cruden Bay issued
at Aberdeen by all trains daily at a charge of 6s., including third-class
return fare, luncheon in the Company's handsome Hotel, electric car from
Station to Hotel, and use of the renowned Golf Course.

SPEYSIDE, "The Land of the Grants.'1

The Speyside Line is the scenic route of the Company's Railway system.
Excursion Trains, provided with luncheon cars, run from Aberdeen every
Wednesday and Saturday afternoon during summer ; unrivalled for speed,
comfort, and popularity ; 200 miles for as. 6d.

THE "THREE RIVERS TOURS," "Our Beautiful Land."

A Holiday in Scotland would be incomplete without a visit to the
magnificent country through which flow the three famous Scottish rivers,
the Dee, Don, and Spey, and this can be accomplished by means of the
"Three Rivers Tours," embracing a most interesting combination of
journeys by rail, motor, and coach. The Tours operate daily from July to
September, and may be commenced at Aberdeen or any point on the route.

There are excellent Golf Courses at many
places on the Railway, a full list of which
may be obtained on application. The Company's i8-hole Golf
Course at Cruden Bay has recently been extended and im-
proved, and is one of the finest in the Kingdom. There is also
a Ladies' Course of 9 holes.

EDINBURGH OFFICE, 29 HANOVER STREET.

GEORGE DAVIDSON, General Manager.

xii Advertisements.

"THE ^ ^ ^

GAELIC WHISKY

IN THE

Old Smuggler Bottle

1O YEARS OLD

is

THE PUREST OF THE PURE."

(Extract from Court Circular of ist December 1900.)

Proprietors o o o

STIRLING BONDING CO.,

*> o The Distillery, Craigellachie, N.B.

Obtainable only from Wine Merchants and Licensed Grocers

CRUICKSHA1JK S PATENT TRAPS.

Over two hundred written testimonials from Head Gamekeepers.

The lightest, quickest, surest, handiest, and most
durable traps in the market.

Capable men will find them to be "the trap of the
future."

4 inch best single spring Toottyaw, 24s. per doz, cash, retail,
3 „ „ „ „ 21s. „

Sold by (iunmakers and Ironmongers.
Full Price List on application.

ALLAN CRUICKSHANK LTD

67 M'ALPINE STREET,

GLASGOW.

ITCORQUODALE&CO

LIMITED.

«t»

«*

COMPANY
PROSPECTUSES

AND

ILLUSTRATED
CATALOGUES.

GAME ADDRESS
LABELS.

letterpress and
Eitboflrapbic
[printers,
Stationers, and
Account Book
Manufacturers.

LONDON

C 40 AND 41 GOLEM AN ST., E.G.

- •< CARDINGTON STREET, N.W.

1ST. THOMAS STREET, S.E.

WOLVERTON (BUCKS). :: NEWTON (LANCASHIRE).

GLASGOW - CAXTON BUILDINGS, MAXWELL STREET.

xiv Advertisements.

SHOOTING, FISHING, ESTATE, COAST,
I & COUNTRY HOUSE AGENTS.

| TCW & JAS. speeoy, j

I 17 St. Andrew? Square, §

EDINBURGH. |

| Lists Free on application.

i?

Messrs. SPEEDY are practical, and have inspected and reported on

SHOOTINGS, FORESTS, FISHINGS, and MANSIONS
all over the Country for very many years.

"On the taking of a moor Mr. Speedy is quite a mine of information." — Liverpool
Mercury.

" Mr. Speedy is practical, and has wide experience of the whole range of Scottish
sport." — Times.

" Mr. Speedy has large personal experience." — Glasgow Herald.
' Mr. Speedy is practical. " — Land and Water.
' Mr. Speedy is practical and trustworthy." — Truth.

'On fishing, shooting, and deer-stalking, Mr. Speedy is practical." — Saturday
Review.

' Mr.Speedyhas had long experience on moor, river, and loch." — Southern Reporter.
' Mr. Speedy is an adequate authority." — Harper's Monthly Magazine.
' Mr. Speedy is a keen and experienced sportsman." — Dundee Advertiser.
1 Mr. Speedy's hints are sensible and useful." — Daily Free Press.
' Mr. Speedy's hints on the taking of a moor may be the means of saving interested
parties much worry and disappointment." — Aberdeen Journal.

11 Few will hesitate to acknowledge that Mr. Speedy has personal knowledge,
experience, and observation." — Midland Counties Herald.

AGENTS

for all Sporting Requisites.

Pheasant and Game Foods, Dog Biscuits, etc.

Pheasant Eggs from all the leading Pheasantries,

CRUICKSHANK'S PATENT RABBIT AND VERMIN
TRAPS.

These traps, ordinary toothjaw or humane, are the best in the
market. Last longer than others. Parts can be renewed. Four dozen
traps and chains are 36 Ib. lighter than the best of the old flat springs.

Advertisements. xv

Nestor

Egyptian

Cigarettes . .

The Genuine Imported.
Made in Cairo, Egypt.

Two Qualities—
Extra Fine and Surfine.

Speclallte—
Gold-Tipped KINGS and QUEENS.

10 New Bond Street,
: : LONDON. : :

xvi Advertisements.

P. D. MALLOCH,

Fishing Tackle Manufacturer,

SCOTT STREET, PERTH, N.B.,

MANUFACTURER OF EVERY DESCRIPTION OF SUPERIOR FISHING
TACKLE SUITABLE FOR ALL PARTS OF THE WORLD.

MALLOCH'S NEW PATENT CASTING REEL, Im-
proved Pattern in Gun Metal or Aluminium ; the greatest boon
to Anglers yet invented for Salmon, Mahseer, and Trout, and all
kinds of Coarse Fishing. Unsurpassed for Long-distance Casting ;
simple, and easy to learn.

Rods and Lines specially suitable for these Reels.

MALLOCH'S PATENT FLY CASE for Salmon, Grilse, Sea
Trout, and Eye Flies of all sizes. Handy and compact. Each
Fly secured by neat and effective arrangement.

MALLOCH'S NEW KINGFISHER LINE is absolutely the
best line ever offered to anglers. It is thoroughly waterproof, and
has a perfectly smooth surface which never cracks or knuckles.

Sample Cards free on application.

MALLOCH'S NEW PATENT INVISIBLE SPINNER.
MALLOCH'S NEW PATENT BOAT ANGLER.

MALLOOH'S GOLD MEDAL SALMON AND TROUT REELS IN GUN METAL
AND ALUMINIUM.

Illustrated List Free. Telegraphic Address: "MALLOCH, PERTH."

Prize Medals awarded National Fisheries' Exhibition, Norwich, 1881 ; International Fisheries'
Exhibition, Edinburgh, 1882. The Highest Awards at the Great International Fisheries' Exhibi-
tion, London, 1883; Gold Medal for General Collection of Rods and Tackle; Gold Medal for
Flies ; Gold Medal for Salmon Reels ; Gold Medal for Trout Reels ; Medal for Trout Rods ;
Medal for Salmon Rods ; Special Money Prizes for Salmon and Trout Reels ; Special Money
Prize for Salmon Flies ; Six Diplomas of Honour ; Silver Medal, Bolton, 1889, for Casts of Fish.

Advertisements.

xvn

WOODHALL SPA, LINCOLNSHIRE.

VICTORIA HOTEL.

The SPA BATHS & PUMP ROOM in Hotel Grounds.
. . . 150 Rooms. Suites. Grounds of 10 acres . . .

Electric Light Throughout.

$olf. tennis. (Sroquet * garage. Stabling.

BATH DEPARTMENT.

Famous BROMO-IODINE SPA BATHS newly enlarged.

SPECIALTIES:—

Mineral, Nauheim, Pine, Vapour, Needle, Dowsing Heat and Light Baths,

Aix and Vichy Douche Massage, High- Frequency and complete Electrical

Installation, Throat Sprays.

Illustrated Tariff and particulars of Hotel and Baths
on application.

Telephone : No. 25.

Telegrams: "Victoria, Woodhall Spa."

Apply, THE MANAGER.

SPORTING AND OUTDOOR BOOKS

ECHOES OF SPORT

By The Honble. Mrs. MURRAY (of Elibank). With Fifteen Illus-
trations from Photographs. Extra crown 8vo, 168 pp., buckram
SB* net.

A collection of reminiscences of many glorious days of sport by one
of the leading sportswomen of our day. Deer stalking among the
wild carries, hunting in the shires, shooting the grouse and caper-
cailzie, fishing on loch and river form some of the subjects of these
interesting experiences. .

THE KEEPER'S BOOK

New (Seventh) Edition, completely revised and largely rewritten,
with many additional chapters, plans, and 13 illustrations, by P.
JEFFREY MACKIE, and various writers, including F. G. Aflalo,
Lord Malise Graham, Capt. H. S. Kennedy, Tom Speedy, and
P. D. Malloch. Demy 8vo, 488 pp., buckram, 7s. 6d. net.

THE TROUT WATERS OF ENGLAND

Being a guide to English trouting streams and reservoirs, with
notes on Tackle. By W. M. GALLTCHAN. Decorations and
end-papers in colour. Cheaper Edition. Fcap. 8vo, 166 pp.,
cloth, 2s. 6d. net ; Wrapper, Is. net.

IN THE LAND OF THE BEAUTIFUL TROUT

By A. TYSILIO JOHNSON. With decorations and end-papers in
colour. New and Cheaper Edition. Fcap. 8vo. 170 pp., cloth,
2s. 6d. net ; Wrapper, Is. net.

BIRD LIFE

Illustrated with over 100 of the famous Photographs of Birds and
their Nests by CHARLES REID, Wishaw. Sm. square, cloth, 108
pp. Is. net ; Wrapper, 6d. net.

THE WILD FLOWERS

A guide to the commoner wild flowers of the countryside, by J. H.
CRAWFORD, F.L.S. With Sixteen Illustrations in colour from
paintings by EDWIN ALEXANDER, A.R.W.S., A.R.S.A. Extra
crown 8vo, 228 pp., buckram, 5s. net; bound in finest velvet
calf, IDs. 6d. net. Second Edition.

Mr. Alexander's illustrations of Wild Flowers are unique and
probably the finest ever seen in a nature book.

Complete List of General and Presentation Volumes, post free
T. N. FOULIS, 21 Paternoster Sq., London ; and Edinburgh

M313009