330 AN ENGLISH GAMEKEEPER. 



down just outside the pit, giving her a play of 

 about twelve yards of light cord as, for instance, 

 a ferret line. Lay a dead rook two feet beyond 

 the cat's reach, or you may let the cat have it, 

 to play with or eat ; this will attract the rooks. 

 The first one that sees the cat will flv round, 

 "querk quarking" until another one is attracted 

 by the noise, when this other one will do the 

 same, and so on until there will be fifty or a 

 hundred rooks, all flying round and grumbling 

 at the cat. Then some carrion crows will 

 arrive, to find out what the bother is. Don't 

 shoot the first carrion crow, because, if let 

 alone, he will go back into the woods and tell 

 all his friends and neighbours what he has 

 seen, inviting them to return with him and test 

 the truth of his story. This they will do, and, 

 when they have gathered in force, let fly and 

 brins: them down. A ferret is almost better 

 than a cat for this purpose, and is easier to 

 carry about. 



In trapping vermin particular attention 

 should be paid to the striking of the trap, 

 which ought to strike high, and strike quickly. 



