A MANOR HOUSE IN DEER LAND. 221 



conduct of his associates, who had so meanly 

 abandoned him, he renounced poaching. Be- 

 sides watching the net the poacher watches 

 to see if a keeper approaches. The keeper 

 knows as well as the poacher where hares 

 run, and suspects that certain gateways may 

 be netted. If he sees the keeper coming he 

 snatches up his net and bolts, and this he 

 is sometimes obliged to do at the very 

 moment the hare has entered the meshes, 

 so that in tearing up the net he turns her 

 out, unexpectedly free. 



The netting of partridges depends on a 

 habit these birds have of remaining still on 

 the ground at night until forced to move. 

 Roosting on the ground, they will not rise 

 till compelled ; and the same thing may be 

 observed of larks, who lie quiet at night till 

 nearly stepped on. A partridge-net is held 

 by a man at each end and dragged along the 

 ground. It is weighted to keep one side 



