THE RENTED MANOR. 37 



tenant-farmer seat himself at dusk mider liis land- 

 lord's wood, and slip his lurching' greyhound as 

 the hares cantered forth to disport themselves on 

 the open downs or fields. Of all dogs there are 

 none so mischievous as a greyhound at large 

 upon a farm during the spring and summer. With 

 a nose equal to any sort of sporting dog, and a 

 speed beyond all other kinds, the greyhound soon 

 learns, when left at large, to become a most crafty 

 and efficient lurcher, killing hares and rabbits by 

 speed, and springing on or chapping hen pheasants 

 on their nests, as well as destroying the young 

 birds even while they are unable to fly, and 

 eating the unhatched eggs. All the most destruc- 

 tive lurchers in the possession of thieves and 

 poachers are thoroughbred greyhounds, with their 

 sterns cut — cut for the now obsolete design of 

 cheating the Excise of the tax on greyhounds, by 

 saying the dog is for sheep. 



Here let me mention a most erroneous mistake 

 which some game-preserving landlords fall into. 

 They give the rabbits to the keepers* A keeper 

 should look to no perquisites; his wages should 

 be ample, for his is a hard life, if he does his 

 duty, and he should be so well paid by his 



