HUNTING RECOLLECTIONS. 51 



With poultry claims, I always begin the 

 business by asking when the things were taken, 

 and if the answer is " At night," I reply, " I am 

 very sorry, but I can't advise the Secretary to 

 pay for poultry taken at night ; you should keep 

 your birds shut up." 



Next I ask : " What sort of footmark was 

 it? " If he answers, " Just like a dog's," I may 

 feel pretty sure it is the work of a self-hunting 

 dog. Few people seem to know it, but a fox's 

 footmark is very much like a cat's. Often the 

 claimant says, " Oh, we have asked the poHce- 

 man, and he says he is quite sure it is a fox." 

 Now, though I have the greatest respect for the 

 police force, few are able to give advice on such 

 a subject. 



Many years ago I was thoroughly taken in 

 myself. I had several beautiful birds taken by 

 a fox — ^.s- / thoiight — some were carried away, 

 and feathers strewn about all over the place (I 

 must say the whole plan was well carried out). 

 Several years after a man, called Bottle Thomas, 

 a noted poacher, was dying in the Union, and 

 he confessed he was the fox who had taken my 

 Buff Orpingtons. This same man had a dog 

 called the Dodger, and he knew nearly as much 

 as his master. When he caught a rabbit or 

 hare, if he met anyone in his path, he would 

 leave the path and make a tour of the field, until 

 the coast was clear. A policeman was the 

 Dodger's especial horror,, and he would keep a 

 look-out and be ready to give notice to his 

 master. It is astonishing how poacher's dogs 



