Poachers and Poaching. 



and shot as they come to roost. Large numbers 

 of plover are bagged from time to time, both 

 green and grey. These feed in the water 

 meadows through autumn and winter, and are 

 always plentiful. In spring the rare dotterels 

 were sometimes shot as they stayed on their way 

 to the hills ; or a gaunt heron was brought 

 down as it flew heavily from a ditch. To the 

 now disused mill-dam ducks came on wintry 

 evening teal, mallard, and pochards. The lad 

 lay coiled up behind a willow root, and waited 

 during the night. Soon the whistling of wings 

 was heard, and dark forms appeared against the 

 skyline. The old duck-gun was out, a sharp 

 report tore the darkness, and a brace of teal 

 floated down stream and washed on to the mill 

 island. In this way half-a-dozen ducks would 

 be bagged, and dead or dying were left where 

 they fell, and retrieved next morning. Some- 

 times big game was obtained in the shape of a 

 brace of wild geese, the least wary of a flock ; 

 but these only came in the severest weather. 



At night the poacher's dogs embody all 

 his senses. An old black bitch is his favourite ; 

 for years she has served him faithfully in 

 the whole of that time never having once given 

 mouth. Like all good lurchers, she is bred 

 between the greyhound and sheepdog. The 

 produce of this cross have the speed of the one, 

 and the " nose " and intelligence of the other. 



B 2 



