70 NATURAL HISTORY OF THE HARE 



situation, and proceed to set their nets upon stakes 

 driven into the earth at distances of about ten yards 

 apart. When the net has been fixed, either a dog is 

 sent to drive the hares and rabbits into the meshes, 

 or two of the poachers take a long hne or cord 

 and proceed to drag the field. All the hares fly 

 before them ; in a few moments the terrified animals 

 find themselves struggling in the toils of the net. 

 They are instantly seized, and at once receive the 

 coup de grace. With regard to this, the poacher 

 requires to consider his customers ; they may object 

 to hares which have lost any blood. Poachers 

 accordingly find that the best way of killing their 

 hapless captives is to break their necks with a single 

 quick jerk. 



Very large hauls are sometimes made by poachers ; 

 for the fraternity chiefly visit well-stocked estates, 

 and select their hunting grounds with plenty of low 

 cunning. At the same time it must be admitted that 

 they have many fruitless or nearly fruitless expedi- 

 tions. Success depends upon various details of which 

 the tiro knows nothing. For example, if a strong 

 wind liappens to be blowing directly upon a certain 

 field, the odds arc that the hares will stay at home ; 

 if the poachers try to drive that field, they will return 

 home empty-handed. Their success in any case 



