POACHER'S WEATHER. 147 



dition when the sun comes out burns up as black as if the 

 sole of the boot were of red-hot iron, and the poacher 

 leaves an indelible trail behind him. But as three duck's 

 frosts usually bring rain, a little patience is alone necessary. 

 A real, downright six weeks' frost is, on the contrary, very 

 useful — game lie close. But a deep snow is not welcome ; 

 for, although many starved animals may be picked up, yet 

 it quite suspends the operations of the regular hand : he 

 can neither use wire, net, nor ferret. 



Windy nights are disliked, particularly by rabbit- 

 catchers, who have to depend a great deal upon their sense 

 of hearing to know when a rabbit is moving in the 'buries,' 

 and where he is likely to ' bolt,' so as to lay hands on him 

 the instant he is in the net. But with the 'oak's mysterious 

 roar ' overhead, the snapping of dead branches, and the 

 moan of the gale as it rushes through the hawthorn, it is 

 difficult to distinguish the low, peculiar thumping sound of 

 a rabbit in his catacomb. The rabbit is not easily dis- 

 lodged in rain ; for this animal avoids getting wet as much 

 as possible : he ' bolts ' best when it is dry and still. 



A judicious man rarely uses a gun, for the reason that 

 noise is inconvenient, and a gun is an awkward tool to 

 carry concealed about the person even when taken to 

 pieces. There is a certain prejudice in rural places against 

 a labouring man possessing a gun ; it is sure to draw 

 suspicion upon him. A professional poacher is pre- 

 eminently a trapper, relying chiefly upon the dexterous 



