1 68 The Gamekeeper at Home. 



ingeniously covered up. Under the eaves of sheds and 

 outhouses the sparrows make holes by pulling out the 

 thatch and roost in these sheltered places in severe 

 weather, warmly protected from the frost ; other small 

 birds, as wrens and tomtits, do the same ; and the 

 poacher avails himself of these holes to hide his wires. 



A gun has been found before now concealed in a 

 heap of manure, such as are frequently seen in the 

 corners of the fields. These heaps sometimes remain 

 for a year or more in order that the materials may 

 become thoroughly decomposed, and the surface is 

 quickly covered with a rank growth of weeds. The 

 poacher, choosing the side close to the hedge, where 

 no one would be likely to go, excavated a place be- 

 neath these weeds, partly filled it in with dry straw, 

 and laid his gun on this. A rough board placed over it 

 shielded it from damp ; and the aperture was closed 

 with 'bull-polls' — that is, the rough grass of the 

 furrows chopped up (not unlike the gardener's 

 ' turves ') — and thrown on the manure-heap to decay. 

 If the keeper detects anything of this kind he allows 

 it to stay undisturbed, but sets a watch, and so sur- 

 prises the owner of the treasure. 



The keeper is particularly careful to observe the 

 motions of the labourers engaged in the fields ; espe- 

 cially at luncheon-time, when men with a hunch of 



