148 THE LIFE OF RICHARD JEFFERIES 



rabbits. . . . They will take a leveret. ... To draw 

 an owl from his nest in a hollow tree is not a pleasant 

 task, even with a glove on ; he will often manage to get 

 his sharp claws into the wrist. The way is to seize his 

 head and crush it, killing him instantly, for an owl's head 

 is soft, and can be crushed easily. . . . Buzzards are 

 sometimes shot, and are now worth something to sell to 

 collectors.'* 



For the time being he has evidently entered into the 

 feelings of the game preserver and gamekeeper, and ' the 

 joy of life ' and even the facts about the wood-owls' 

 diet have passed out of mind. Nevertheless, he attains 

 to the opinion that ' too severe punishment ' of poachers 

 is responsible for their violence. 



Jefferies has mastered his material, and amid all the 

 technique of an ancient and exclusive sport is never dull. 

 The landscape is suggested in its breadth and with just 

 enough detail, and it makes a comprehensible setting to 

 the whole. Only once does he pause in what was prob- 

 ably a rapidly written book to satisfy the exquisite 

 curiosity of his eye, when he has to speak of ' the ruddy 

 golden coat of the warrantable deer,' with the bright sun- 

 light shining on it ' so that the colour seemed unsteady, 

 or as if it was visibly emanating and flowing forth in 

 undulations. . . . There is an unsteadiness of surface 

 as if it came a little towards you, and was wavy.' The 

 writing, very careless in one or two places, is suited to 

 its purpose ; it never shines, but runs comfortably forward 

 with narrative, discussion, explanation, and pictures such 

 as this : 



' There is no more beautiful creature than a stag in 

 his pride of antler, his coat of ruddy gold, his grace of 

 form and motion. He seems the natural owner of the 

 ferny coombes, the oak woods, the broad slopes of heather. 

 They belong to him, and he steps upon the sward in 

 lordly mastership. The land is his, and the hills, the 

 sweet streams, and rocky glens. He is infinitely more 



* Red Deer. 



