KEEPERS AND KEEPERING 445 



the laws of natural selection and of the survival of the fittest, but rather 

 with the adaptation of these laws to his own special requirements. 



The evidence of history affords a second and equally conclusive argument 

 against the theory that the presence of vermin is conducive to the health of 

 the stock. Written records go to show that even in the eighteenth Evidence of 

 century, long before game preserving was introduced, Grouse were histor y- 

 no less subject to disease than they are at the present day, in spite of the 

 fact that their natural enemies were left undisturbed to keep the "undesirables" 

 in check. As a matter of fact the whole argument is founded on an error. 

 There is no evidence whatever that Nature's so - called scavengers confine 

 themselves to the destruction of the weaklings their tendency appears to be 

 exactly the reverse. Observation in the field goes to show that the peregrine 

 striking at birds on the wing more often than not picks out the centre bird 

 of the covey, and that the robber of the hen-roost does not take the under- 

 sized piner, but the fattest bird he can find. 



It must, however, be admitted that the keeper who thinks his only concern 

 is to kill all vermin indiscriminately goes equally far towards the opposite 

 extreme. Birds and beasts of prey are not wholly good or wholly 

 bad, in the destruction of mice, rats, and voles they often play a sometimes 



,, , . beneficial. 



useful part, and the extermination of the greater vermin entails 



the duty of keeping in check .the lesser pests, which might otherwise become 



too numerous owing to the destruction of their natural enemies. 



With these facts in view we may proceed to examine the credit and debit 

 account of the various animals that decorate the keepers' "dule" tree to see 

 which should be sacrificed in the interests of sport and which should be 

 spared. 



VERMIN. 



The leading offender amongst four-footed vermin is undoubtedly the fox 

 difficult of approach, suspicious of the lure, a ranger of miles of country, one 

 day picking a Grouse from the nest, the next i,day visiting the 

 farmer's poultry yard, taking his meals sometimes off rabbits, poultry, 

 and Grouse, sometimes off rats, voles, or even frogs, his diet must always 

 be described as promiscuous, his morals noteworthy only by their absence. 

 Even in his methods of destruction the fox is guided by no known law ; 



