212 THE GAMEKEEPER AT HOME. 



broods have strangely dwindled, and he is informed that 

 these enemies against whom all along he has been warned 

 have made short work of them. If this explanation seems 

 scarcely sufficient, there is always some inexplicable disease 

 to bear the blame : the birds had been going on famously 

 when suddenly they were seized by a mysterious epidemic 

 which decimated their numbers. 



All this is doubly annoying, because, in addition to 

 the loss of anticipated sport, there has been an exorbitant 

 expenditure. The larger the number of young broods of 

 pheasants early in the year the better for the dishonest 

 keeper, who has more chances of increasing his own profit, 

 both directly and indirectly. In the first place, there is the 

 little business of buying eggs, not without commissions. 

 More profit is found in the supply of food for the birds : 

 extras and petty disbursements afford further room for 

 pickings. 



Then, when the game has been spirited away, the 

 keeper's object is to induce his employer to purchase full- 

 grown pheasants — another chance of secret gratuities — 

 and to turn them out for the battue. That institution 

 is much approved of by keepers of this character, for, the 

 pheasants being confined to a small area, there is less 

 personal exertion than is involved in walking over several 

 thousand acres to look after hares and partridges. 



By poisoning his master's mind against some one he 

 not only covers these proceedings but secures himself from 



