THE NEW POACHER'S HANDBOOK: FOR THE MAN WITH THE HARE-POCKET AND THE BOY WITH THE SNARE. By Ian Niall.

1960 1st edition thus. 8vo (142 x 220mm). Ppxii,156. B/w illustrations by Sylvanus Marston. Black boards, spine titled in silver-gilt.

"Water has passed under the bridge since the original edition of The Poacher's handbook was written, water and a salmon or two. Things, people and creatures natural to the countryside have come and gone. Even a decade ago there were more men about who remembered the squire and who recalled the word 'transported' being used. Poachers there are, however, in the tradition. ...Country rascals they may have been, ...but resourceful men, and their sons and grandsons have stood more than once to defend the country that nurtured them. Many hard words were addressed to me for daring to produce a handbook on poaching, but I made no apology for it when it [first] appeared, and I make none now, ...I trust I will offend none but those whose liver is sadly out of order." From Niall's 'Notes to the Revised Edition'. Contents include: Harvest of idleness; Bewitched hares; Respectability; The peacock and the perch; A hare by stealth; The long net; Clever dogs; Of gins and snares; A partridge whistle; Elusive coveys; Longtails; Bold characters; Legends; The day of Butcher Murphy; Deer and desperadoes; The ways of the fowler; Duck catching; The quiet river; Line setting; Otters and otter boards; Snatchers at work; A noose for trout; The gorse dam; Nets and netsmen; Sundry adventures; An eel from the stream; The modern market.