MORE ABOUT GAME-BIRDS. 109 



"A Rough Rhyme on a Rough Matter," knew also 



of such, and he did his best to make these people 



better : — 



" A poacher's widow sat sighing 



On the side of the white chalk bank, 

 Where, under the gloomy fir woods 

 One spot in the ley throve rank. 



She thought of the dark plantation, 



And the hares, and her husband's blood, 



And the voice of her indignation 

 Rose up to the throne of God." 



But so also did the voice of a keeper's widow I 

 once knew, the mother of a young family, whose 

 husband was shot through the heart by a poacher 

 whom he had not even laid hands on. This hap- 

 pened a few years ago close to my own home. 



The real case is in a nut-shell : innocent creatures 

 have always been made the scapegoats for lawless 

 misdeeds, and people who mean to do wrong at the 

 expense of others will go on doing so, if not in one 

 way, in some other. 



From a naturalist's point of view the pheasant is 

 a great favourite of mine, his form and general bear- 

 ing are so very graceful ; as to colour, a few of his 

 fraternity will give warmth and life to the monotony 



