THE CHILDREN OF THE NEW FOREST. 167 



however, but fairly galloped up the tree, ran along a 

 projecting branch, made a great leap into another tree, 

 traversed that also, and in two minutes was fairly out 

 of sight. 



Here let me offer an indignant protest against two 

 subterfuges under which the destroying nature of man 

 hides its ugliness. 



There are some persons in whom the destructive 

 element is acknowledgedly developed in all its fulness, 

 who live but to hunt, and to shoot, and to fish, and 

 who really seem to have gradually drilled themselves 

 into a heartfelt belief that to destroy the furred, 

 feathered, and scaled inhabitants of the earth is the 

 noblest aim of man, and one to which every other 

 object must necessarily become subservient. As a 

 natural corollary of this proposition, follows the extir- 

 pation of every living creature that can interfere, 

 either actively or passively, with their sport, the result 

 being to depopulate the country of every being in 

 which is the breath of life. 



All the beautiful, and truly beautiful, weasel tribe 

 are to be killed because they will eat hares, rabbits, 

 and feathered game ; all the hawk tribe fall under the 

 ban ; the ravens, crows, and magpies are to be killed 

 because they are apt to rob the nests of partridges and 

 pheasants ; the little birds because they eat the corn 

 on which the pheasants might feed ; and even the 

 squirrel is now reckoned amongst the vermin because 

 it is known to regale itself occasionally on young birds, 



