248 Wild Life in a Southern County. 
The ground sounds hollow underneath the foot— 
perhaps half an acre is literally bored away under the 
surface ; and you have to thread your way in and out 
a labyrinth of holes, the earth about some of them 
perceptibly yielding to your weight. There must be 
waggon-loads of the sand that has been thrown out. 
Beyond this central populous quarter suburbs of 
burrows extend in several directions, and there are 
detached settlements fifty and a hundred yards away. 
In ferreting this place the greatest care has to be 
taken that the ferret is lined with a long string, or so 
fed that he will not lie in; otherwise, ifhe is not picked 
up the moment he appears at the mouth of the hole, 
he will become so excited at the number of rabbits, 
and so thirsty for blood, that he will refuse to come 
forth. 
To dig for him is hopeless in that catacomb of 
tunnels ; there is nothing for it but to send a man 
day after day to watch, and if possible to seize him 
while passing along the upper ground from one bury 
to another. In time thirst will drive him to wander ; 
there is no water near this dry, sandy, and rather 
elevated spot, and blood causes great thirst. Then he 
will roam across the open, and by-and-by reach the 
hedges, where in the ditch some water is sure to be 
found in winter, when ferreting is carried on. So 
that, if a ferret has been lost some time, it is better to 
look for him round the adjacent hedges than in the 
warren. 
