PREAMBLE vii 



An abundant source of incident and story we have 

 found in our dealings with many good gamekeeper 

 friends, old men and young, some of them locally 

 renowned as " characters," and all good sportsmen. 

 We have elaborated many a note on gamekeepers 

 themselves, about their wives and children, their 

 cottages, their dreams, their ways of speech and 

 their philosophic sayings, matters which no keeper 

 would trouble to record. 



Should we be pressed to name the original author 

 of the note-books from which our memories have 

 been mainly refreshed, we should have to name one 

 of ourselves : we would be excused. Together, we 

 share the recollection of glad companionship through 

 many a long day and night; and, above all, that 

 magic interest in the countless phases of a game- 

 keeper's life and work covered by that wide word, 

 Woodcraft. 



Our notes appeared originally in the Saturday 

 editions of the Evening Standard and St. James's 

 Gazette, in which journal they have long been and 

 are still a regular feature : we thank the editor for 

 permission to publish them in the present form. 

 We are indebted to the editor of Pearson's Magazine 

 for permission to reproduce the two bird-pictures by 

 Mr. Frank Southgate, R.B.A. 



O. J. and M. W. 



September 1910. 



