THE FEUKET. 



THE FERRET.-FERRETING. 



THE Ferret has just so much to do with our ordi- 

 nary sporting recreations, as to entitle it, or rather 

 its uses, to a place in this volume ; and, grace to 

 modern improvement, its application is not the bar- 

 barous contrivance it was in times gone by. The 

 practice of "coping," or muzzling, this lithesome 

 little creature, is scarcely ever had recourse to now : 

 the horrid custom of sewing up its mouth is utterly 

 abandoned. Indeed, if left unconstrained, it is found 

 to bolt the rabbit with far more spirit. A cord is 

 occasionally made fast to its neck; and by means 

 of knots marked on it, as on sea lead-lines, it is 



