The times., 1899-08-09
PoAcH1Ne IN LONDON PARKS.
How Rabbits, Deer, and Rare Birds
Are Made Away With.
From the London Mail.)


Few people have any idea of the extent
to which the various parks and open
spaces situated in and around London are
depleted of their furred and feathered in
habitants by professional poachers.
The thieves work in couples, one watch
ing while the other works. and so expert
have they become through long practice.
and so naturally willy are they that even
the best and most experienced keepers find
thmselves outwitted.
Richmond Park is fayorite rabbit and
bare poaehing demesne. the quantity of
ground game there being very considera-
Bile. Last autumn man was taken in the
act, and his nets conhscated. Although he
received sharp sentence of Imprisonment,
it did not deter others from following in
his footsteps. as Is proved by the fact that
only week ago carefully organized
night raid was made upon one of the war
rens.
Even the deer in Bushey Park are not
safe, any more than are those in Epping
Forest. The deerstalker uses neither
guns nor nets, nor is he accompanied by
dog. His principal weapon, in fact, is
strategy. Catching a fawn at dawn, he
ties 1t to tree, and then gives it two or
three prods in the flank with a sharp
bladed pocketknife OF course it starts to
bleating, and, equally of course, the sound
attracts the mother, who, her maternal in
stinct being stronger than her fear OF man,
is easily laid hold OF and despatched
AT one time this diabolical trick was
proving SO successful that there was dan
ger of Epping Forest being absolutely de-
nuded of its does, but the watch kept is
now so strict and persistent that the
scoundrels have few chances OF making
really good bag"
The park poacher does not however
confine his attention solely to edible game.
He knows well the value of rare birds and
scarce animals, and will wait and watch
night after night for an opportunity of en-
trapping the one or snaring the other.
Victoria Park being situated in the midst
of a densely poulated and poor neighbor-
hood, has been a heavy sufferer in this re-
spect; so much so in fact, that it was
deemed advisable. some time back, to build
a special aviary for the protection at night
of the more valuable birds.
The precaution, however, had a precise
ly opposite effect to that which was in
tended, for the poachers broke into the
aviary one dark night and made a clean
sweep of its entire feathered population.
The Waterloo Park aviary, too, was the
scene of a similar wholesale robbery at
about the same time
Curiously enough Hyde Park, although
kept open till midnight, has, of late years,
at all events suffered but little from the
depredationS or pOacherS. A number OF
water fowl were. however, stolen from Re
gents Park not long ago. AT Battersea
Park are preserved a pair of black swans,
and these, being very valuable, have on
several occasions attracted the attention
of the poachers.
The birds themselves have up till now
proved too wary for their would-be cap
tors, but no longer ago than last summer
an entire Sitting" of their eggs, procured
at considerable trouble and expense, was
stolen. The thieves, in this case landed
on the island from a boat in broad day
| light rifled the nest unobseryed, and got
clear away with their booty.
However, Mr.. Coppin, the park superin-
tendent, although naturally annoyed, prov
ed equal to the occasion. Procuring some
ordinary swans eggs, he put them under
the bereaved mother bird, and then caused
| 1t TO be bruited abroad in the neighbor-
hood that, although the first sitting of
eggs had been stolen, he had secured an
other equally as good, and, of course
equally as valuable. The poachers fell in
to the trap, were captured red handed, and
| sentenced TO Imprisonment
AT Clissold Park, a small herd OF deer
| is kept and these have several times been
visited by night poachers. The marauders
| have, however, on each occasion been driv-
| en- off by the keepers. At Finsbury Park
again, not long ago, raid was made on
| the water fowl which frequent the island
| in the middle of the lake, but the authori-
| ties are retieent as 10 the result.