CHAP. III.
How the Conies in a Warren ought to be handled and ordered.
ALthough the hauing of a clapper be very necessarie for the storing of a war∣ren, againe and againe (as we haue said before) notwithstanding, for need, one may leaue off all vse of the clapper, and so, without any further charge or expences, content himselfe with putting a certaine number of conies, both males and females, into his warren, of them to haue sufficient store by encrease of young ones. True it is, that they are not so fruitfull, nor of such plentifull encrease, and therefore the warren will not be so soone stored by them: for they being accusto∣med to the warren, become more sauage and strange, but lesse giuen to engender: and thereupon it commeth, that the Does of the warren bring forth young ones onely thrice or foure times a yeare, and those that are kept in house-clappers, once euerie moneth: But howsoeuer it be, if you find it more for your profit to furnish your war∣ren with store after this later manner, it will be sufficient, for six dozen of Does, to put in nine Bucks, hauing more regard and consideration still vnto the Does than to the Bucks, to spare them, if at any time you would take any.
Their feeding shall be no otherwise than hath alreadie beene mentioned: and yet notwithstanding, besides that manner of feeding, if you would haue great store of conies in your vvarren, and that they should be to sufficiently fed, as that they should become fat, it will be good to sowe an acre of ground, or two, with Barly or Oats, not for to make any further haruest of them, than that which they shall leaue vneaten. You must haue a speciall care, that they feed vpon good nourishment, because their flesh (in like manner as the flesh of Partridges) doth retaine the smell and sauour of that whereupon they feed: as for example, of Iuniper, if their vvaren be full of Iuniper, and so semblably of other things.
If you see any conie-hole stopt with hay, or straw, or such other like thing, doe not vnstop it, but content your selfe onely to obserue it, and to gesse that there are young ones vvithin, vvhich the dam nourisheth: for this is the manner of the Doe, that from the time that she hath kindled, vvhether it be in a house, clapper, or in a vvarren, shee shutteth & stoppeth vp her hole with hay, straw, or some other grasse, such as shee can gather together, and to no other end, but that the Bucke may not find her yong ones, or goe into her hole, vvhere if hee should once come, hee would eat vp all her young ones: this thing being assuredly and vndoubtedly conceiued of the Doe, whether she be in her hole, or else goe forth to feed, she stoppeth her earth: and if so be that at her returne she find the mouth of her hole neuer so little vnstopt, she her selfe will by and by kill her young ones, hauing taken opinion, that the Bucke is gone in thither. And this is the cause why good hunters will neuer put their ferret into any earth, vvhose mouth they see stopt, for feare of disquieting the dam, and causing of her to kill her young ones. True it is, that shee doth not keepe her hole euermore shut: for at such time as shee knoweth her young ones to be growne great, and become strong ynough to seeke their meat, and to runne with others, shee beginneth to make a little hole for them to issue and goe out at.
Furthermore, you must not thinke, that conies, either males or females, doe at any time forget their earth, be it neuer so farre off: for howsoeuer some say, that comes haue no memorie, notwithstanding they are alwaies mindfull of their hole, be they strayed or wandered neuer so farre from the same. And this is the reason likewise