Tricks of Assistants. 33 



particular bird or animal will be found at that 

 hour. 



He is more bitter than his father against poachers, 

 and would like to see harder measures dealt out to 

 them ; but his chief use is in watching or checking 

 the assistants, who act as beaters, ferreters, or keep 

 up the banks and fences about the preserves, &c. 

 Without a doubt these men are. very untrustworthy, 

 and practise many tricks. For instance, when they 

 are set to ferret a bank, what is to prevent them, 

 if the coast is clear, from hiding half a dozen dead 

 rabbits in a burrow ? digging has frequently to be 

 resorted to, and thus they can easily cast earth over 

 and conceal the entrance to a hole. Many a 

 wounded hare and pheasant that falls into the hands 

 of the beaters never makes it appearance at the table 

 of the sportsman ; and doubtless they help themselves 

 to the game captured in many a poacher's wire 

 before giving notice of the discovery to the head 

 man. 



Some of these assistants wear waistcoats of 

 calfskin with the hair on it. The hair is outside, and 

 the roan-and-white colour has a curious appearance : 

 the material is said to be very warm and durable. 

 Such waistcoats were common years ago ; but of late 

 the looms and spindles of the manufacturing dis- 



D 



