100 UNASKED ADVICE. 



their tenants from ^' walking '' puppies^ and in many 

 other almost imperceptible ways do a good deal of mis- 

 chief, even without being game preservers. This word 

 brings to one's mind that most influential class of men, 

 gamekeepers. In their hands rests in great measure 

 the showing of sporty inasmuch as the existence of the 

 " raw material '' is almost entirely an afiair of their plea- 

 sure and good will. There are keepers doubtless who are 

 really and unfeignedly glad to see their coverts drawn 

 with success j but I much fear that they are the excep- 

 tion^ and that their good feeling is in many cases the 

 result of their masters' known proclivities, combined with 

 proper management on the part of the master of the 

 hounds. I do not believe that a keeper exists who, all 

 considerations but his own tastes apart, really likes or 

 admires a fox. Why should he ? And, on second 

 thoughts, why should he not do so ? What more con- 

 venient scapegoat is there in existence than bold Rey- 

 nard ? To an inefficient keeper he is really a friend, 

 " What has become of all the hares V is a question from 

 the master that has its, answer ready cut and dried: 

 " Those foxes took every leveret in the summer.'' " How 

 is it," demands the dissatisfied owner of a light bag, 

 " that we only killed so many or so few pheasants to- 

 day?" "Well, sir, the number of sitting hens that 

 were taken by the foxes is something alarming." Here 

 follow statistical figures, more or less accurate. Yet the 

 majority of keepers have no gratitude towards the useful 

 little animal that bears so much responsibility, but, on 

 the contrary, instead of "speaking well of the bridge 

 that carries them over," they are but too ready to kick 

 down the ladder that has raised them. 



Of course the amount of mischief that an ill-disposed 



