288 TEN YEARS OF GAME-KEEPING 
Ferrets are not at all profitable creatures to breed 
for sale; and it is cheaper to buy grown-up young 
ferrets in September for half a crown each than to 
breed and rear them. If you want ferrets to be 
pleasant to use, the great thing is to handle them 
frequently and quietly—never grab at them. I 
judged their handling education complete when my 
ferrets showed no objection to being picked up by 
the skin of their stomach. The most docile of 
ferrets are liable to nip you by mistake, but never 
hang on. The best and quickest way to make a 
vicious-biting ferret leave go its hold is to roll its 
toes as one would a cigarette, only harder. Another 
plan which answers well enough in the case of a 
dead rabbit is to blow on the ferret’s nose. The 
risk of distemper breaking out among dogs is con- 
siderably lessened by keeping ferrets right away 
from them. 
From ferret-hutches to the Law Courts is a long 
way. I had been engaged to give expert evidence 
in an action for misrepresentation by the tenant of a 
large shoot. The plaintiff’s solicitor, a complete 
stranger to me, while giving me a brief outline of 
the case, mentioned that he had a cutting of an 
article on the clues that help a gamekeeper, which, 
he thought, might help us. Being the writer of it, I 
thought so, too. I was introduced to another keeper 
engaged for the case; he was the most benevolent- 
looking keeper I have met. He had a way of 
