HUNTING 87 



but one thing is certain, that without plenty of 

 moisture there will be but little of it — that is to 

 say, not sufficient to enable hounds to pick it 

 up if they are going at any pace. When it is 

 suggested that sport has depreciated owing to 

 the hounds not being up to the mark, it may 

 be that there is no scent. Captain F. Forester 

 says, that on an average, in the Quorn country, 

 a really good scent can be recorded only two or 

 three times in the season. 



When a fox has been found, unless the hounds 

 are smartly got together on to the line, and con- 

 sequently in a position to press him at the start, 

 the chances of killing him are small. Perhaps 

 Captain F. Forester is the best exponent of this 

 art. An artist will get his hounds together and 

 away without loss of time. It is only to a man 

 who loves his hounds and is beloved by them 

 that they will run when they hear his cheer or 

 holloa. On leaving cover a fox goes off at his 

 best pace, possibly covering the ground at the 

 rate of a mile in four minutes ; that fact demon- 

 strates how absolutely necessary it is that no 

 time should be lost. In years gone by there 

 were not nearly the same number of stock in 

 the fields as there are at present, the use of 

 artificial manures was unknown, and the fields 

 were not so large; in fact, fox-hunting to-day 



