HARES, RABBITS, AND FARMERS. 213 



pecuniary benefit ; it is a very common tale 

 public-house first, and devilment afterwards. 



In Spring, when everything is sprouting 

 afresh, the hares have to cut new runs, 

 especially in the newly-made hedges. When 

 you come across a newly-made hedge, take a 

 good look right along it, and you will find that 

 the hares have made four or five runs through 

 it ; if you snare these runs you will probably 

 catch in four out of the five set snares. The 

 poacher-snarer knows this as well as you and 

 I do. 



Prevention is better than cure, and as it is 

 obvious that you cannot cure the poacher, you 

 should prevent him, by helping the hares. To 

 do this, you must make twenty good runs 

 through the hedge, resembling the hares' runs 

 as closely as your art can possibly make them. 

 When making these false runs you may carry 

 a hare's leg and a bag full of hare's fluck in 

 your pocket. Cut all small twigs in two, pat 

 the earth down well with your hand, and then 

 make the print of the foot, pricking out the toe 

 nails in the run with the limb you carry. 



