172 The Gamekeeper at Home. 



best breed for his purpose. Many shepherds' dogs 

 now have a cross of the lurcher in their strain, and 

 are good at poaching. 



Sunday is the gamekeeper's worst day ; the idle, 

 rough characters from the adjacent town pour out 

 into the country, and necessitate extra watchfulness. 

 On Sunday the keeper, out of respect to the day, does 

 not indeed carry his gun, but he works yet harder 

 than on week-days. While the chimes are ringing to 

 church he is on foot by the edge of the preserves. 

 He has to maintain a sort of surveillance over the 

 beer-houses in the village, which is done with the aid 

 of the district policeman, for they are not only the 

 places where much of the game is sold, but the 

 rendezvous of those who are planning a raid. 



If the policeman notices an unusual stir, or the 

 arrival of strange men without any apparent business, 

 he acquaints the keeper, who then takes care to double 

 his sentinels, and personally visit them during the 

 night. This nightwork is' very trying after his long 

 walks by day. A great object is to be about early in 

 the morning — just before the dawn : that is the time 

 when the poachers return to examine their wires. 

 By day he often varies his rounds so as to appear upon 

 the scene when least expected ; and has regular tryst- 



