Poachers Weather. 145 



are the happy hunting-grounds of the poacher for that 

 reason, especially if not far distant from woods, and 

 consequently overrun with rabbits. For, since the price 

 of rabbits has risen so high, they are very profitable 

 as game, considering that a dozen or two may be 

 captured without noise and without having to traverse 

 much space — perhaps in a single hedge. 



The weather most unsuitable is that kind of frost 

 which comes on in the early morning, and is accom- 

 panied with some rime on the grass — a duck's frost, 

 just sufficient to check fox-hunting. Every footstep 

 on grass in this condition when the sun comes out 

 burns up as black as if the sole of the boot were of 

 red-hot iron, and the poacher leaves an indelible trail 

 behind him. But as three duck's frosts usually bring 

 rain, a little patience is alone necessary. A real, 

 downright six weeks' frost is, on the contrary, very 

 useful — game lie close. But a deep snow is not wel- 

 come ; for, although many starved animals may be 

 picked up, yet it quite suspends the operations of the 

 regular hand : he can neither use wire, net, nor ferret. 



Windy nights are disliked, particularly by rabbit- 

 catchers, who have to depend a great deal upon their 

 sense of hearing to know when a rabbit is moving in 

 the ' buries,' and where he is likely to ' bolt,' so as to 

 lay hands on him the instant he is in the net. But 



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