82 A GAMEKEEPER'S NOTE-BOOK 



that they are rewarded according to the care. 

 He does not pay people to find nests, but to protect 



those discovered in the course of daily work 

 A Mutual a sma n sum, by way of encouragement, 

 standing usually a shilling for each nest. But the 



copser, while chopping up the rows of under- 

 wood, finds a good many small nests, with three or four 

 eggs each, and the keeper may agree to pay him a penny 

 for each of these odd eggs, as he calls them, and a 

 shilling for each more respectable nest saved. The 

 copser must leave cover for a few yards around the 

 nests, and do nothing to disturb the tenancy. When 

 the nest is so situated that it causes no inconvenience 

 or delay to the copser's work, the shilling is paid 

 only when the eggs hatch ; in special cases the keeper 

 takes the risk of safe hatching. It is a proud moment 

 for the copser when he makes a satisfactory report 

 of a nest. " That there old bird over agen they ash- 

 stems," he will say delightedly, " she be hatched 

 and gone, master." 



Often a keeper must give judgment as to who is 

 entitled to the reward for a nest found and protected 



by two or three men. It would be easy 

 Many if the spirit of justice were satisfied by 

 dians handing the shilling to the man who first 



found the nest ; or if a shilling were given to 

 each man ; but this would make up an alarming 

 account for nest-money. So the keeper may give 



