38 RECREATIONS OF A NATURALIST 



natural size, with an inscription in his own hand- 

 writing, of which a facsimile is here given. 



It will be seen that by inserting this con- 

 trivance in the opening which has been cut in the 

 ground immediately under the turf which is laid 

 across the hole thus made, a double horse-hair snare 

 is set in such a manner that a Wheatear passing 

 under the sod cannot escape being caught. 



One of the last of the old race of Southdown 

 shepherds was John Dudeney, of Plumpton — a man 

 so remarkable in his way that he was thought 

 deserving of mention in Lower's Sussex Wor- 

 thies. Although following so humble an avoca- 

 tion, he by no means neglected education, but found 

 time and opportunity to learn geography, mathe- 

 matics, and even French. His acquirements at 

 length placed him so much above his station that 

 he was prevailed upon to give up the care of 

 sheep, and, obtaining a situation in the printing 

 office of Mr Baxter, of Lewes, he lived to impart 

 information to hundreds of Sussex folk who, with- 

 out his assistance, would have received no educa- 

 tion of any kind. He was one of the founders of 

 the Mechanics' Institute at Lewes, where he used 

 to sfive lectures, and continued his tuition until 

 within a few weeks of his death, which occurred in 

 May 1852, in the seventieth year of his age. His 

 biographer tells us that : — 



"All his youthful savings were expended in the 

 purchase of books. His wages were six pounds a 

 year, and perquisites were derived from his master 

 allowing him to keep a sheep (whose lamb and 



