HUNTING 93 



foxes. It is only logic to presume that, with all 

 the care and knowledge bestowed on the breeding 

 and management of hounds, they should have 

 improved in pace and general hunting ability. 

 But the question is, Have they? In old hunting 

 chronicles one reads of runs extending to twenty- 

 five and thirty miles, or even more, when every 

 hound would be at the kill, or when the fox was 

 accounted for in some other way. Of course, 

 everything depends on the time taken before we 

 can judge whether these tremendous runs were 

 good or otherwise, and possibly the old-time 

 chronicler was not very accurate. Beckford says : 

 " I never wish a chase to be less than one hour 

 or to exceed two." 



It is a curious fact that the fox of the present 

 day is identical with his predecessor of a million 

 years ago. He has not increased in stature or 

 in any way changed his appearance or habitat. 

 Foxes vary in size considerably according to 

 locality, and may weigh anything from nine 

 pounds to twenty. But it is not always the 

 case that the big fox stands up longest before 

 hounds. 



Too many foxes inevitably spoil sport. Foxes 

 that have survived their third year of existence 

 are apt to become rather a nuisance. After being 

 hunted a few times a fox becomes incredibly 



