384 Wild Life in Wales 



his cottage as soon as the Act prohibiting their use 

 became law. 



" They will be safe there," he opined, " and can be dug 

 up again if axed for, and in the meantime they can do 

 nopody any harm whateffer ; forby, if she needed wan, 

 she'll no have far to look for't " ! 



In capable hands, the pole-trap was a most destructive 

 engine, and its disuse can hardly be regretted by anyone ; 

 but its most deadly position was not always upon a " pole," 

 and there are numberless cases in which an ordinary gin can 

 quite as effectively take its place without infringement of 

 the law i.e. so long as it remains legal to set a baited steel 

 trap of any kind upon a moor. So far as cruelty is con- 

 cerned, it may be more revolting to our feelings to see a 

 bird hanging suspended by a leg from a pole, and fluttering 

 its life out in that helpless position ; but it is open to doubt 

 whether more suffering is entailed in such a case than when 

 the victim is left to die a more lingering death from 

 starvation and pain, in a trap set upon the level ground, 

 and, personally, 1 hope to see the day when the use of all 

 such traps, whether for taking rabbits or vermin, may be 

 abandoned. 



In walking alongside the railway one evening, I was 

 surprised to come upon a Land Rail sitting upon the top of 

 one of the sleepers which act as posts for the wire fence, and 

 craking away there as lustily as though he had been hidden 

 amongst the grass. I had previously found a nest close by, 

 situated in the middle of a bush of Petty Whin (Genista 

 anglica\ and could only suppose that it was the partner of 

 the sitting bird that had thus taken up so unusual a position 

 from which to chant his even-song ; but, so far as could be 

 seen, there was nothing to account for his choice. On 

 another occasion one was observed walking uneasily along 

 the top of a wall, flirting its tail, and nodding its head, in a 

 very Water-Hen-like manner, but investigation in that case 

 discovered a Weasel hunting about the bottom of the wall 

 as the cause of its uneasiness. This bird uttered no note 

 that was audible where I stood ; but I have heard a Corn 

 Crake, when alarmed for the safety of its young, give vent 



