TRESPASSERS AND POACHERS 233 



mongrel, slightly related to an Irish terrier ; and 

 that the commoner game was, the better he was 

 pleased. However, I did not say so. I assured 

 the lady that on my beat there were no boars, 

 Canadian or otherwise ; and that if there were, I 

 should prefer to deal with them without the help of 

 her dog. How many ladies, when a partridge has 

 been driven from her nest by their wretched dog, 

 have exclaimed, ' You naughty partridge ! how you 

 frightened me!' I often wish it had frightened 

 their dog to death. The keeper naturally finds 

 women difficult to deal with, whether they are 

 disaster-causing trespassers of innocent intent, or 

 ' noways per tickler what they picks up.' The 

 clothing of a buxom dame may hide a multitude 

 of eggs or game. The crinoline must have offered 

 magnificent facilities for shipping the spoils of 

 poaching. 



I cannot say that I ever knew a keeper who 

 hated flowers; but I have known many who had 

 good cause to regret that primroses are at their best 

 ust as pheasants are sitting. To make matters 

 worse, the part of a wood where primroses are most 

 abundant is where pheasants prefer to nest where 

 the underwood recently has been cut. I admit that 

 it is difficult for innocent primrose-pickers to under- 

 stand the keeper's annoyance, and even harshness 

 and blurting anger. Perhaps they have not seen 

 so much as a single pheasant which means that 



