62 The Confessions of a Poacher. 



till the danger was past. If suddenly surprised 

 and without means of hiding, myself and the 

 dog would make off in different directions. 

 Then there were times when it was inconvenient 

 that we should know each other, and upon 

 such occasions the dogs would not recognise 

 me even upon the strongest provocation. 



My best lurchers knew as much of the habits of 

 game as I did. According to the class of land 

 to be worked they were aware whether hares, 

 partridges, or rabbits were to constitute the 

 game for the night. They judged to a nicety 

 the speed at which a hare should be driven to 

 make a snare effective, and acted accordingly. 

 At night the piercing scream of a netted hare 

 can be heard to a great distance, and no sound 

 sooner puts the keeper on the alert. 



Consequently, when " puss " puts her neck 

 into a wire, or madly jumps into a gate-net, 

 the dog is on her in an instant, and quickly 

 stops her piteous squeal. In field-netting rab- 

 bits, lurchers are equally quick, seeming quite 

 to appreciate the danger of noise. Once only 

 have I heard a lurcher give mouth. " Rough" 



