CHAPTER VIII 



THE APPRENTICE KEEPER 



WHAT we have already said will give the young man 

 who aspires to be a gamekeeper some idea of thequalities 

 of character and temperament, and of the knowledge 

 and skill, that go to make a successful servant. There 

 are one or two other points we may indicate that may 

 be of use to the uninitiated at the threshold of his 

 career. 



First, let it be stated that the sooner he starts his 

 work the easier it will be for him to learn. 



It goes without saying that no man deficient in 

 power of observation or in ordinary intelligence should 

 ever think of giving his life up to the care and the pur- 

 suit of game. The 'prentice hand must not only have 

 a good groundwork of the common rudiments of reading, 

 writing, and arithmetic, but must be keenly interested in 

 natural history ; for, unless he is careful in reading up 

 and noting the haunts, habits, and peculiarities of the 

 various beasts and birds which people his district, he 

 will never be a success in the sphere he has selected for 

 his life's work. And having noted such facts, he will 

 never attain to any great height of trustworthiness and 



