SET DOG-SriKES FOR WILD DOGS. 33 



the poachers enter the woods to shoot the pheasants 

 on the perch. Three or four dozen of wooden phea- 

 sants, made as I have described them elsewhere in 

 this work, and fastened on boughs on the trees, 

 would prove of great use in the preservation of the 

 game. 



Sometimes a gentleman is much annoyed with wild 

 spaniels or other dogs getting iutohiswoods or plantations, 

 and hunting for their amusement until they have driven 

 nearly all the game out of the wood. If this should 

 happen frequently, half a dozen dog-spikes fixed at a 

 proper height in the trees, and in the runs of the hares 

 and rabbits, will be pretty certain to put a stop to the 

 nuisance by the dog being killed in rushing on one of 

 the spikes. The hares and rabbits run under them. In 

 these exertions made to get up a stock of game, I think 

 it would be as well for the proprietor of the estate 

 always to bea,r in mind that "in medio tutissimus 

 ibis ;" or, as the Italians say, " Chi va piano va lontano," 

 which may generally be found the best mode of accom- 

 plishing the object which is sometimes anxiously sought 

 after. 



A gentleman should beware of overstocking his 

 estate with game, which proves a great grievance to his 

 tenants, and is a strong temptation to poachers to pay 

 him nightly visits. Battues have no doubt been the 

 chief cause of what I consider serious evils ; and it is 

 much to be regretted that most of the sportsmen of the 

 present day look with contempt on the old-fashioned 

 way of shooting with setters, pointers, spaniels, and a 

 good retriever, and deriving healthy bodily exercise by 

 a walk of six or seven hours, besides the great satisfac- 

 tion you feel in seeing your dogs steady and active in 

 the performance of their duty. If fox-hounds are kejit in 



