SEPTEMBER IN BROADLAND. 99 



corn-stacks ? The poor farmer is the greatest sufferer. Then theer's bigger birds 

 of prey as is all but extinct with us. When I was a nipper, hen-harriers and marsh- 

 harriers wasn't so scarce as now. Now, I think hawks doan't du near the harm tu 

 game as they git credit for. I think, like Canon Tristram, that ' they're the perlice 

 of nature ' runnin 9 in, in more ways 'an one, the weaklin's and the sickly. Healthy 

 game knows how tu take care of theerselves most often; if landowners an' keepers 

 was only tu read up and obsarve and measure theer brains aginst prejudices, things 

 'ud alter summat. But they doan't, and so they kills an' kills, and thus cleer out 

 the innercent critters. 



1 An' then, see what improvements ha' bin made with guns: folks must hev 

 breechloaders an' what chance hev birds agin 'em ? It's bang ! bang ! as fast as 

 yow like. More's the pity the old muzzle-loaders hev had theer day : they did give 

 'em a chance, and theer was some excitement when yow had to load an' keep yer 

 eye about yow while yer did it. Disappointment in shootin', from the bird's some- 

 times escapin' yow, made yer ultimate success all the more excitin' an' pleasurable. 

 Yow see, I still sticks to my old muzzier. 



' Protection's doin' good here, gents. We've more ducks 'an ever; snipes ha' 

 bred this yeer on the fen yow was walkin' over, and not far away was more 'an one 

 nest of ruffs an' reeves t' year. I doan't mind tellin' yow, 'cos yow ain't likely ever 

 to disturb 'em. A pair of bitterns laid theer eggs there tu, but some lout of a wisi- 

 tor found 'em. I copt him jest as he'd blown 'em. But I cracked 'em for 'im, and 

 done a'most as much tu that stupid head of his. Not as I did right, but the law 

 would only ha' fined him for trespass. Theer, thinks I, I can dispense better 

 justice, and du it summarily. He wanted to square me with half-a-sov'rign. I took 

 it, bless yer, but when I chucks the half-a-nicker in the broad, yer should ha' seen 

 him look ! I guess he oan't come here agin in a hurry. 



1 This slaughter, in course, is good for some of the small birds which ha' 

 become a nuisance, sparrers in pertikler. 



1 Look 'ere, gents, theer's a lot as want right-sidin'. Why doan't the law 

 protect birds' eggs ? Ain't egg-collectin', for instance, thinned out the different 

 plovers ? Look at yon pewits. Time was when we'd thousands bred here : thousands 

 of eggs was taken. Now what a sorry few theer are. What more useful bird can 

 yer find, as wipes off worms an' grubs as they did ? Then what is theer nicer than 

 seein' all sorts of characteristic birds around yer ? 



