326 CENTURY OF ENGLISH FOX-HUNTING 



land. It is an open secret that illicit traffic in game 

 and in eggs takes place between gamekeepers and 

 poulterers. Yet how often is the culprit prosecuted ? 

 The poacher who snares a hare to provide food for 

 himself and his family is awarded six months' im- 

 prisonment at the county sessions, and the game- 

 keeper is complimented by the bench for his zeal 

 in having caught the poacher. Now organised gangs 

 of poachers have long ceased to exist, because they 

 cannot find a market for their spoil. The most 

 reckless poulterer fights shy of being accused of 

 being a receiver of stolen goods. Thus poaching 

 as a means of earning a livelihood belongs to 

 ancient history, though gamekeepers may assert the 

 contrary as an excuse for their own defalcations. 

 The truth is that the poulterer takes it for granted 

 that the gamekeeper has authority to sell his master's 

 game, and seldom asks to see the authority in writing. 

 The master keeps a record of the bags which he has 

 made during the season, and considers such record 

 to be a sufficient check upon his keeper, without 

 inquiring about the consignments of game sent to 

 market from his coverts. The remedy is simple. 

 The gamekeeper should be compelled to show a 

 licence signed by his master before selling any 

 game, and the books of the poulterer should always 

 be open to inspection. Even then there might be 

 a fraudulent conspiracy between the keeper and 

 the poulterer, but it would be comparatively easy 

 of detection. 



