io THE KEEPER'S BOOK 



be obsequious, or from fear of contradiction. Civilly, 

 quietly, yet firmly he should state his facts and express 

 his views, and he will find that he is seldom misunder- 

 stood and always respected. The man who prevari- 

 cates for the sake of pleasing, who pretends to know 

 when he is ignorant, or pretends to be ignorant when 

 he knows, is a bad servant, and is sure in the long-run 

 to get into difficulties. 



It will be gathered from what we have already said 

 that we are dealing with the keeper as a skilled speci- 

 alist. We have not much to say as to that anomaly 

 the occasional keeper. We mean the man who is 

 really not a gamekeeper at all, but a farm hand who 

 goes out with the guns, and who is the only person in 

 charge of the shooting. To attempt to instruct such a 

 person would be a waste of energy and a dissipation 

 of good sense. Such a man may learn a little but he 

 has neither the time nor the instincts for sport. And 

 yet how many of our so-called keepers are but mere 

 labourers ? They might possibly know the difference 

 between a grouse and a grey hen, but as to the habits 

 and habitats of game, as to the destructive capacity of 

 vermin, as to the tempers and temperaments of dogs, 

 they are as ignorant as the sedentary Cockney, whose 

 only knowledge of game has been obtained at the 

 " Jungle " at Earl's Court. 



