THE LAST OF THE HURDLERS 77 



the hollow has been scratched to their liking. Then 

 the dingy-white ground-colour and the rusty speckles 

 of their eggs are similar ; and the eggs of guinea- 

 fowl and of Frenchmen are commonly found well 

 plastered and stained with soil, through being turned 

 over in the unlined nest. The eggs have notably 

 thick shells. 



r r * 



The ancient art of making hurdles is fast dying out. 



In a small Hampshire village, where a score of hurdlers 



could have been found a quarter of a cen- 



The Last tury ago, to-day but one or two old men 



of the J . , ... 



Hurdlers remain who can make a hurdle of the genuine 



sort. The reason is not that hurdle-making 

 is profitless, for there is a demand for good 

 workers, and the rate of pay is higher than of old 

 from four to five shillings for a dozen hurdles, 

 which represent a day's hard work. But few boys 

 follow the old calling of the hurdler, probably be- 

 cause a long apprenticeship must be served. There 

 is difficulty in finding a qualified man to take a boy 

 in charge ; and for a long while the boy would be 

 useful only to strip the rods of knots, and would 

 earn but a nominal wage. At other work his earn- 

 ings would be enough at least to pay his share of the 

 family expenses at home. So that few hurdlers see 

 their way to teach even their own sons this honour- 

 able trade. 



