123 Pheasants. 



themselves, or with their full cognisance; nor is it always 

 advisable for even the exchange of eggs to take place 

 without their approval and full knowledge. There is a 

 kind of keeper it is no use blinking the fact who by 

 his actions reflects very adversely upon an honourable 

 class, and who contributes to a large extent to the evil of 

 egg-stealing. These are men neither successful nor 

 competent in their calling, who occupy positions as keepers 

 or under-keepers upon large and small shoots where the 

 control is lax, who sooner than allow the fact of their 

 incompetence or want of success to come to the knowledge 

 of their superior will pay for eggs out of their own or 

 indirectly out of their masters' pockets, and these men 

 constitute a class largely responsible for egg-stealing. 

 They will go to the unauthorised dealer or encourage the 

 labourers, loafers, &c., to bring them eggs from adjoining 

 beats and neighbouring preserves. The remedy in such 

 case is obvious, and lies with the preserver himself or the 

 head keeper. 



The casual or regular egg-stealer is usually found in the 

 ranks of the discontented farm-labourers or the village 

 loafers they are much on a par, but I count the latter 

 the lesser evil of the two, for he will only steal and sell, 

 whereas the latter will destroy as well as steal, and some- 

 times practise the former alone, stamping out every clutch 

 he can discover in a foolish attempt to assert his " rights." 

 In all probability the best plan to counteract an) thing of 

 the kind is liberal payment for all nests discovered and 

 reported to the keepers. Payment for same is usually 

 made at the rate of is. per nest, but the plan should be, 

 as stated, on liberal lines, and endeavours to evade fair 

 pay for a fair find be avoided, or the nests found are more 

 likely to be destroyed or removed than reported. The 

 system is liable to abuse if carried too far, however, and 



