MANAGEMENT OF MOORS 53 



fox, polecat, wild cat, stoat, weasel, and 

 even the squirrel, hedgehog, and rat ; and 

 of winged species eagles of all surviving 

 varieties, falcons, hawks, ravens, rooks, 

 carrion or hooded crows, and even 

 magpies and owls. 



Space would fail long before the life- 

 history of these members of the army of 

 "vermin," and their individual propen- 

 sities, could be described. But is not 

 everything known or imagined about 

 them already minutely recorded in many 

 pages of many authors, such as Colquhoun, 

 St. John, Tom Speedy, and others ? Of 

 Mr. Speedy it may be remarked that no 

 more enthusiastic and accurate observer 

 of the fauna of the British Islands could 

 be wished. Natural history is his second 

 nature. He is saturated with veritable 

 information, always ready to be produced, 

 always interestingly told, and often of 

 first - hand originality. One may not 

 always be able to accept Mr. Speedy 's 

 views on particular points, but he is 

 invariably a fair and interesting pro- 



