72 The Confessions of a 'Poacher. 



pastime ; but obviously it might be added to 

 with advantage. If something is not done the 

 hare will assuredly become extinct. To pre- 

 vent this a " close time" is, in the opinion 

 of those best versed in woodcraft, absolutely 

 necessary. The dates between which the 

 hare would best be protected are the first 

 of March and the first of August. Then we 

 would gain all round. The recent relaxation 

 of the law has done something to encourage 

 poaching, and poachers now find pretexts for 

 being on or about land which before were of 

 no avail, and to the moucher accurate obser- 

 vation by day is one of the essentials to 

 success. 



Naturalists ought to know best ; but there has 

 been more unnatural history written concerning 

 hares than any other British animal. It is said 

 to produce two young ones at a birth, but ob- 

 servant poachers know that from three to five 

 leverets are not unfrequently found : then it is. 

 stated that hares breed twice, or at most thrice, 

 a year. Anyone, however, who has daily ob- 

 served their habits, knows that there are but 



