SWITZERLAND 349 



lakes, as Neuchatel, very short paddles are used in this work, and 



the boat is known as a loquctte. 



All manner of weapons are in fact used in shooting both in the 



plains and in the mountains. Military guns are prohibited, but the 



mountaineers use them all the same, having had them 



from the time when the Confederation sold cheap the ,. , 



^ Used. 



old Peabody and Watterli guns of the soldiers. A 



number of sportsmen use the three-barrelled carbine, which has a 



rifled barrel for chamois, but it is a costly weapon. 



Switzerland has its gamekeepers in both the closed and preserved 

 districts. In the former case the keepers are employed by the 



Confederation or by the cantons, and have no dis- 



. 1 . -c -T-1 • 1 • • r \ Keepers and 



tmouishmg unitorm. 1 heir duties in some 01 the _ ,. 

 ^ ^ Poaching. 



mountainous regions are hard, particularly in the bad 

 season, owing to the vastness of the territory each has to supervise. 

 The keepers on preserved estates are of course employed by the 

 game - preservers themselves. In every canton the forest guards 

 and police are also expected to take cognisance of offences against 

 the game laws. Poaching, while nowhere very serious, goes on in 

 every canton. One fact that must be placed to the credit of the 

 poachers is that, with the exception perhaps of Tessin, where we 

 find traces of the obnoxious methods of Italian poachers, our poachers 

 are not fond of using the leash. As a rule, too, it may be said 

 that Swiss gamekeepers are not so exposed as in other countries 

 to much violence from the poachers. Unfortunately it must be 

 admitted that there have been cases of murder by these outlawed 

 hunters, but they are certainly rare. 



