HORSES AND HOUNDS. 161 



vermin. Tliose, I told liim, I never allowed. "Pray, sir, if it 

 is no offence, may I ask why you object to their being used T 

 " Simply," I replied, " for this reason, that they will catch more 

 foxes and pheasants than they will vermin." " I assure you, 

 sir, that I can set them so that I can catch both vermin and 

 rabbits, but never injure foxes or pheasants." " Well," I said, 

 " you must be exceedingly clever, and I will test your ingenuity." 

 I gave him some traps, accordingly, which I desired he would 

 set in one particular part of the covert. The next morning I 

 visited these traps in propria persona, before my learned keeper 

 had arrived on the ground. In one of them was tlie toe of a fox, 

 and in another a pheasant's claw. Mr. Keeper was rather taken 

 aback at the exhibition of these trophies of his skill, and, I 

 need hardly remark, there were no more traps set. Finding he 

 had one to deal with quite as wide awake as himself, or rather 

 more so, he never attempted to play tricks again ; and he lived 

 with me for many years afterwards, always keeping me plenty 

 of game and plenty of foxes. A man who cannot destroy vermin 

 of every description without using steel traps, or laying ground 

 baits with poison, is not worthy to be called a keeper. I will 

 in my next give a few lessons to game preservers and keepers, 

 how they may keep down vermin^ without either injury to foxes 

 or pheasants. 



CHAPTEE XXYI. 



On game preservers — ^Food of foxes not confined to game — The real wild, good 

 fox not a frequenter of hen-roosts — Old woman an J fox " in a cradle," 



at Castlecoomb — Dainty taste of foxes in relation to Lord 's venison 



■ — Another story, equally true, as to their taste for pork — The real story 

 — Foxes less gluttonous than is usually believed — A novus Jiomo — The 

 battue system— Severity in the prosecution of poachers — Comparison 

 between the battue and the fox-hunt. 



I WILL now endeavour to point out how game may be preserved 

 and vermin kept down, without having recourse to those most 

 objectionable means generally resorted to for their destruction, 

 steel traps and poison, which have been considered by ignorant 

 keepers as indispensable to that purpose. I would also, with aU 

 due submission, beg to remind large game preservers, that it is 

 quite possible for them to have an abundant supply of game for 

 their own and friends' amusement, and also to keep a few foxes 

 for their sporting neighbours in scarlet. 



M 



