THE REARING FIELD. 57 



posts, and once you have the netting it will last year 

 after year. This is an expensive recommendation, I 

 know, but it is absolutely the only safeguard. Fires, 

 white rags on string, old newspapers, paraffin, tar, 

 &c., have all been tried, and are all equally useless. 

 A few chains or pieces of old rusty iron will keep a 

 fox away from a rabbit burrow, or any small spot that 

 you wish to preserve for a time from his attentions, 

 reynard is a bit " too " sharp, thinks that the old 

 metal is some new and improved form of spring trap, 

 and acts accordingly. But this remedy is of no avail 

 over a large space of ground, so wire netting you 

 must have, and there's an end to it ; and watch your 

 wires well for traces of assault, remembering the 

 advice of Henry VI., as passed down to us by the 

 immortal William, himself a poacher we are told : 



When the fox hath once got in his nose, 

 He'll soon find means to make the body follow. 



Henry VI., Part III., Act ii., scene 2. 



Tie up a few dogs to box kennels in your field 

 inside the wire ; they will be safer, and you will soon 

 know if you may expect any strangers. King Lear 

 (act iv., sc. 6) probably reared pheasants, for he 

 remarks, " A dog's obeyed in office." Also never be 

 without a gun in the field, and let it not be too far 

 from you. Rooks will sometimes swoop down in 

 battalions, and institute an organised attack upon the 

 young pheasants, and, if you happen to be away, and 

 the boy also, will carry off scores in an hour ; but a 



