TRAPPING, SNARING, NETTING, ^c. 147 



Nor will it be of much avail if the grass is thick but 

 grazed over by cattle, or disturbed by dogs, for rabbits 

 will then get no rest, and will be very loth to stay 

 there. There is no covert so good as brambles, and 

 next to that long sedgy grass. If the ground is bare, 

 a good plan is to scatter small bunches of light thorns 

 about the fields in the spring. Through these the 

 grass will grow up, and while, by reason of the thorns, 

 it will escape the mouths of cattle, it will form snug 

 lying for rabbits. 



To get the latter out into ground thus prepared, 

 or for that matter any other ground that has sufficient 

 covert to hold them, the easiest plan is to send some 

 men round with spades, and let them stop every hole 

 they can find. The second day they should take a 

 pail of paraffin,^ and some pegs, about 8 in. long, 

 with a slit in the top into which is inserted a piece of 

 folded paper. These are dipped in the oil and stuck 

 in the ground immediately opposite the holes that 

 have been opened. On the third day all open holes 

 should be stopped again ; on the fourth, parat^n once 

 more ; on the fifth, stop all holes effectually ; and on 

 the sixth day, shoot. During this time the covert all 

 round should be left perfectly quiet and undisturbed, 



' Some keepers mix two-thirds paraffin with one-third 

 animal oil. 



L 2 



