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

1950 1st edition. 8vo (140 x 220mm). Ppviii,133. Wood engravings by Barbara Greg. Black cloth, spine titled in sliver-gilt, blind-stamped feather motif to upper board. .

"Ian Niall wrote this masterpiece of country lore to regain the thrill of crossing the hills in the moonlight and creeping up the woodside at dusk. He says, 'This is a book about poaching in the old traditional style, the craft of men who knew and loved the countryside and invoked the unorthodox skills rather than the crude use of modern science to catch their game, which they took sparingly, as they needed it'"". 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 the author's Notes to the Revised Edition.