TRESPASSERS AND POACHERS 233 
mongrel, slightly related to an Irish terrier ; and 
that the commoner game was, the better he was 
pleased. However, I did not say so. I assured 
the lady that on my beat there were no boars, 
Canadian or otherwise; and that if there were, I 
should prefer to deal with them without the help of 
her dog. How many ladies, when a partridge has 
been driven from her nest by their wretched dog, 
have exclaimed, ‘ You naughty partridge! how you 
frightened me!’ I often wish it had frightened 
their dog to death. The keeper naturally finds 
women difficult to deal with, whether they are 
disaster-causing trespassers of innocent intent, or 
‘noways pertickler what they picks up. The 
clothing of a buxom dame may hide a multitude 
of eggs or game. The crinoline must have offered 
magnificent facilities for shipping the spoils of 
poaching. 
I cannot say that I ever knew a keeper who 
hated flowers; but I have known many who had 
good cause to regret that primroses are at their best 
ust as pheasants are sitting. To make matters 
worse, the part of a wood where primroses are most 
abundant is where pheasants prefer to nest—where 
the underwood recently has been cut. I admit that 
it is difficult for innocent primrose-pickers to under- 
stand the keeper’s annoyance, and even harshness 
and blurting anger. Perhaps they have not seen 
so much as a single pheasant—which means that 
