We have a kind of Dog called Tumblers, which will kill Conies abundantly and after a marvellous fashion.

 

Of the Nature and Properties of the Coney.

The Cony is a common beast, and well known unto all men. 

The Cony bears her Rabbits xxx days, and then kintles, and then she must be bucked again, for else she will eat up her Rabbits. She will have five, six and seven at a litter.

He that would have a warren well replenished with Conies should hunt them and beat them in twice or thrice in a week with some Spaniel or Cur for the purpose, for otherwise they will stray and feed out into the woods and cornfields near adjoining, and you shall never make them come into their burrows or clappers again. 

Some hold opinion that they will follow a Hare to knot, and engender with her, but for the reason nefore alleged, beat them twice and thrice in a week; when a Buck Cony will go to the Doe, he will beat upon the ground with his forefoot marvellously, and by that means he heats himself. When he has bucked, then falls he backwards and lies in a trance as he were half-dead, and then may a man easily take him. 

The flesh of a Cony is much better than the flesh of a Hare, for the Hare's flesh is much drier and more melancholick; so is the skin of a Cony - if it be black - a very good fur, whereas the Hare's skin is little or nothing worth. 

How to hunt and take Conies. 

He that would take Conies must hunt with two or three Spaniels or Curs, made for the purpose, among the hedges and bushes where he knows the Conies lie. He may also have small Greyhounds for the purpose to course at them, but in their default, the Spaniels or Curs will drive them into their burrows; then, set purse-nets on all the holes, and so you shall take them. 

Remember that your Ferret be close-muscled, for else she will kill the Cony in the ground, and peradventure will not come out again of three or four days after. For default of a Ferret, you may make Conies come out of their burrows with the powder of orpyne and brimstone, and make a smother with them, and it will make the Conies bolt out of the earth, and so you shall take them in your purse-nets. 

Mine author tells furthermore of making small low hedgerows all aling down by the side of some hedge which is well replenished with Conies, and that the said low hedges should be made overthwart contrary to the standing of the quick hedge; and that sundry holes should be made in them, at the which he would set purse-nets or other nets, and so take the Conies, hunting them up and down with a Spaniel or Cur.

But he seems not to have seen our English warrens, nor our manner of taking of our Conies. For - thanked be God - there are sundry Lords and Gentlemen in England which have their grounds so well replensihed as they would give a man but small thanks who should so smother their burrows with brimstone and orpyne, for indeed that will mar a burrow and drive the Conies clean from it. But we take them principally with heys, next with purse-nets and Ferrets, thirdly with a Drawing Ferret when they be young, and again we have a kind of dog called Tumblers, which will kill Conies abundantly and after a marvellous fashion.

Of all these sorts of taking Conies, together with the order to keep a warren from vermin, I will hold no longer discourse, for indeed it is sometimes besides my purpose, since I account ferretting one of the coldest and unpleasantest chases that can be followed. Yet thus much I have thought meet to write of it, following my author, and because indeed it seems to be a kind of Venery; at the least, he that has a good warren of Conies, a good Dovehouse, and fishponds, shall need the less to go into the forest or chase for beef or bacon, for these three are good neighbours.