Chapter I: Preface

Those who delight in roaming about amongst the fields and lanes, or have spent any time in a country house, can hardly have failed to notice the custodian of the woods and covers, or to observe that he is often something of a ‘character.’ The Gamekeeper forms, indeed, so prominent a figure in rural life as almost to demand some biographical record of his work and ways. From the man to the territories over which he bears sway--the meadows, woods, and streams--and to his subjects, their furred and feathered inhabitants, is a natural transition. The enemies against whom he wages incessant warfare--vermin, poachers, and trespassers--must, of course, be included in such a survey.

Although, for ease and convenience of illustration, the character of a particular Keeper has been used as a nucleus about which to arrange materials that would otherwise have lacked a connecting link, the facts here collected are really entirely derived from original observation.

R.J.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER PAGE

I. THE MAN HIMSELF: HIS HOUSE, AND TOOLS 1

II. HIS FAMILY AND CASTE 22

III. IN THE FIELDS 47

IV. HIS DOMINIONS: THE WOODS, MEADOWS, AND WATER 71

V. SOME OF HIS SUBJECTS: DOGS, RABBITS, ‘MICE, AND SUCH SMALL DEER’ 92

VI. HIS ENEMIES: BIRDS AND BEASTS OF PREY--TRESPASSERS 118

VII. PROFESSIONAL POACHERS: THE ART OF WIRING GAME 144

VIII. THE FIELD DETECTIVE: FISH POACHING 169

IX. GUERILLA WARFARE; GUN ACCIDENTS; BLACK SHEEP 196

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE

THE KEEPER’S COTTAGE 1

THE ROW OF KENNELS 3

THE KEEPER’S KITCHEN 6

THE KEEPER 11

A BROOD OF YOUNG PHEASANTS 20

THE OLD MOLE-CATCHER 27

ANTLERS ON THE STAIRCASE 29

SMALL BOYS AND GREAT HORSES 31

THE KEEPER’S SON SHOOTING LEFT-HANDED 34

OWLS IN EVERY BARN 37

THE SUPERANNUATED KEEPER 41

PHEASANTS 47

TENDING THE YOUNG BIRDS 52

CATTLE IN THE COPSE 55

DIAGRAM TO SHOW DAMAGE DONE BY IRON-WIRE FENCING 56

THE PARK 63

WOOD PIGEON 73

A BADGER AT HIS FRONT DOOR 79

WILD DUCK AND MOORHEN 90

DOG AT STREAM 95

POINTER AND FISH 99

TRAPS 110

SHOOTING WOOD-PIGEONS BY MOONLIGHT 115

A WEASEL HUNTING 121

A HAWK PURSUED BY FINCHES AND SWALLOWS 125

THE POACHER 133

AN ENGLISH PRAIRIE-FIRE 141

PARTRIDGES AT EVENING 148

RUBENS’ SPORTSMAN 150

SETTING A HARE SNARE 153

POACHING IN THE WINTER 159

PLOVER’S NEST 164

A RABBIT-HOLE NETTED 173

A WICKED LURCHER AND HIS MASTER 175

THE GENTLEMAN IN VELVETEEN 178

TICKLING TROUT 191

SETTING A NIGHT LINE 194

GOING FOR THE POACHERS 197

MAN-TRAP 200

A GOOD-FOR-NOTHING KEEPER 217

TAILPIECE 219