METHOIJ OF KEEPING HARES AT HOME. 289 



back placed against the trunk of the tree, I have 

 dealt destruction around to the coney tribe from 

 my hiding place, but from such an exalted position 

 there is considerable risk in regard to flying shots 

 at pheasants. On one occasion I toppled over, by 

 forgetting that I was not on terra firma, and 

 brought myself down instead of my pheasant. 



Hares have a strong attachment to the place of 

 their nativity. Those bred in woodlands will 

 always resort to the covert for their sitting, 

 rambling about at night for food ; and those bred 

 in the fields will hold to the fields, except when 

 driven to the coverts for protection. The hare, 

 being of a very timid nature, loves quietude, and 

 they should always have certain fields to themselves, 

 where they should not be disturbed, and in this 

 manner large numbers may be kept together. 

 They may easily be prevented breaking bounds, 

 by the keeper going round the outside fences every 

 other day, and stopping the runs or menses with 

 blackthorn or gorse. In this^ manner I preserved 

 a great number of hares within a certain limit ; 

 and although there was a large covert belonging to 

 a neighbour, only one field from my head preserve, 

 I do not think he could boast of killing more than 

 a dozen of my hares during the season. I had 

 only a small gorse covert of two acres, bordering 



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