GENTLES DESCRIBED. 295 



full-grown gentles, put them, and the remains of the 

 liver, or heads, into a tight cask or tub, having first 

 put into the tub or cask about a peck of fresh mould, 

 from the fields j to which, add half the quantity of 

 half-dried cow-dung, and then put the same quantity 

 of mould and dung over them 3 keep them in a cool 

 place, and when the mould, &c., at the top, becomes 

 dry, sprinkle a little water over it. Using liver or 

 heads, I think less disagreeable than having a dead 

 animal blown on by flies 3 but those who prefer a rab- 

 bit or hare, or cat or dog, have only to follow the di- 

 rections given above, and they will have gentles at all 

 times. Those who may object to keep the gentles in 

 the house, may preserve them in the garden, by put- 

 ting the liver, or other substance, with the gentles, 

 mould, or dung, in a hole about three feet deep ; but 

 note, this hole must be plastered round, and at bottom, 

 with strong clay, or the gentles will penetrate into the 

 earth, to a great distance. I find those bred from rab- 

 bits, or hares, or heads, less likely to burrow in the 

 earth, because the skin and wool keeps longer moist, 

 and also affords them food. When you open the store, 

 do it carefully, for when the cool Spring air reaches the 

 gentles, they quickly become a chrysalis. Horse-dung 

 is too hot for gentles, but cow-dung nourishes them, as 

 will hog's-dung also, but in a less degree. 



The best way to keep gentles, in the Summer, is to 

 put them in a salmon kit, (which may be bought of 

 the people who sell pickled salmon,) with some house- 

 sand, and sprinkle, daily, a handful of dampish sand 



