viii PREFACE 



many subjects, necessitating the rewriting of the book. 

 Nothing stands still nowadays except stupidity. 



A demand has sprung up for The Keeper s Book 

 which was not anticipated : to a considerable extent 

 it is being read by schoolboys and the youth of the 

 country. To be a thorough sportsman you must start 

 young ; but if you are to be master of your own shoot, 

 you must also be well grounded in the rudiments and 

 spadework of gamekeeping, otherwise you will be 

 imposed upon, as so many are at present. Every boy, 

 before he is allowed to shoot in company, should have 

 a thorough knowledge of the art of driving, beating, 

 stopping, and the whole science of the game. H e should 

 also know natural history, and habits of all game and 

 vermin. This knowledge can best be acquired by 

 practical experience, and with his superior education 

 and powers of observation a boy will soon acquire a love 

 of the study of game-preserving, which to the working- 

 man may merely be a duty and means of livelihood. 

 Boys should be encouraged to accompany the keeper 

 on his rounds ; much information may be thereby 

 gained. 



It is a pity that the tendency of the people is to 

 flock to the towns, and that our school teaching is not 

 more practical. The main object of our system of 

 National Education should be to prepare mankind 

 for the work which they intend to perform in the world. 

 Children intended for a country life should be taught 

 natural history, agriculture, the origin and the use of 



