138 EXPERIENCES OF SPORT. 



Why should they go out ? There is no earthly 

 reason that they should. But these are not the 

 men to dictate on sporting matters ; they know 

 nothing about the thing ; perhaps they can 

 shoot, and that is all. Different people have 

 different opinions. It is a lucky thing we do 

 not all act or think alike. Watching the differ- 

 ent habits of the various animals is a source of 

 delight to me, and many a cunning trick have 

 I seen played by vermin to entrap, their victims, 

 the time they take to ensure success, and many 

 a clever artifice of the pursued to evade and 

 double on their pursuer. Such scenes the 

 drawing-room and hearthrug sportsman does 

 not witness ; he may occasionally hear of them, 

 and if he did see them, would probably take no 

 pleasure in it. 



I will relate a curious circumstance relative 

 to the hedgehog, which many people believe to 

 be harmless. Such is not the case. This ani- 

 mal is not only an egg destroyer, but a game 

 eater, and the following case was witnessed by 

 myself, Some three years ago a partridge's 

 nest was cut out, with sixteen eggs, and brought 

 to me. They were immediately set under a 



