GROUND, STOCK, AND POACHING 193 



tion or league, whose arm should be long enough and 

 strong enough to reach those who deal in poached 

 game and stolen eggs, and which should unceasingly 

 watch the interests of the game question in Parlia- 

 ment. 



If only one-fourth of the men in this country who 

 care about shooting, and wish to see sport kept up, 

 would subscribe half-a-guinea per annum to such a 

 league, enough funds would be provided to maintain 

 an effective and organised campaign against egg- 

 stealers, poachers, and illegal destroyers of game. 

 Detectives of experience could be selected, who should 

 at the proper seasons proceed to the suspected 

 districts, trace the sources of the supply of eggs, and 

 of the illegally killed partridges and grouse which 

 come into the market before the season opens, and 

 where evidence was complete institute prosecutions 

 against all concerned in this nefarious trade. 



To do this properly, however, the sale of game eggs 

 should be made illegal. How can a man with only a 

 few acres in the near neighbourhood of London pro- 

 cure all the partridge eggs which he advertises for 

 sale unless they are stolen? No gentleman would 

 sell his eggs to such a person, but it is a regrettable 

 fact that many will buy from him. Eggs should only 

 be bought from owners of sporting property. If you 



o 



