Without a right of search in open daylight the difficulty is of course much greater.

A man cannot quarter the fields when the crop is high and leave no trail.
Farmers object to the trampling and damage of their property; and a keeper does not like to see a labourer loafing about, because he is not certain that the eggs when found will be conscientiously delivered to him.

They may be taken elsewhere, or they may even be broken out of spite if the finder thinks he has a grudge to repay.

Now that every field is enclosed, and for the most part well cultivated and looked after, the business of the egg-stealer is considerably diminished.

He cannot roam over the country at his fancy; his egg-finding is nearly restricted to the locality of which he possesses minute knowledge.
Thus workmen engaged in the towns, but sleeping several miles out in the villages, can keep a register of the slight indications they observe morning after morning as they cross the fields by the footpath to their labour.