230 BIRDS AND MAN 



but I overheard him say something about rare birds 

 which caused me to put on a friendly air and join in 

 the talk. He was a Kentish man who spent most 

 of his time in driving about from village to village, 

 and from farm to farm, in the southern counties, 

 in search of bargains, and was prepared to buy for 

 cash down anything he could find cheap, from an 

 old teapot, or a print, or copper scuttle, to a horse, 

 or cart, or pig, or a houseful of furniture. He also 

 bought rare birds in the flesh, or stuffed, and was 

 no doubt in league with a good many honest 

 gamekeepers in those counties. I had heard of 

 " travellers " sent out by the great bird stuffers to 

 go the rounds of all the big estates in some parts of 

 England, but this scoundrel appeared to be a traveller 

 in the business on his own account. I asked him if 

 he had done anything lately in Dartford warblers. 

 He at once became confidential, and said he had 

 done nothing but hoped shortly to do some- 

 thing very good indeed. The bird, he said, was 

 supposed to be extinct in Kent, and on that account 

 specimens obtained in that county would command 

 a high price. Now he had but recently discovered 

 that a few — ^two or three pairs — existed at one spot, 

 and he was anxious to finish the business he had on 

 hand so as to go there and secure them. In answer 



