THE FOX 12? 



where no hound or horseman ever comes, cultivators will not tolerate 

 his too-frequent depredations in the sheep-fold and poultry-yard, 

 among winged and ground game, being oblivious to his decima- 

 tion of rats, mice, moles, and voles. Unfortunately, the fox, 

 knowing as he is, has not the capacity to discriminate between 

 wild and domesticated animals, therefore helps himself to the 

 readiest and best food " come-at-able," unfortunately killing 

 more than suffices for present needs. To the game preserver 

 not interested in fox-hunting the fox is an unmitigated cul- 

 prit of the worst type, and by the farmer deriving no benefit 

 from the sport of fox-hunting no quarter is given to reynard, but 

 every possible obstacle, such as barbed wire and spiked hurdles 

 used for fencing and mending gaps in hedges, placed in the way 

 of the hunter. This is often mere " cussedness " and akin to that 

 of the fox in destroying a score of young or grown-up chickens when 

 one would have served for a meal, inasmuch as the prompting is 

 that of extreme selfishness, and practised regardless of another's 

 pleasure and profit. Nothing is seen but damage done by fox- 

 hunters in galloping across fields and breaking fences, and depreda- 

 tions of foxes among poultry, total eclipse of trim, neatly-cut hedges 

 of half a century ago obscuring fences now full of gaps and repaired 

 in the most casual way with dead thorns, or a few yards of barbed 

 wire, while oblivious to there being no sort of poultry-house on 

 the farmstead, the hens nesting anywhere, all over the place, and 

 at night roosting in cart hovels, implement sheds, and other build- 

 ings. 



On the other hand, the sportsman the fox-hunter as distin- 

 guished from the game -preserver makes matters clearly under- 

 stood by gamekeeper and farmer in respect of both game and poultry, 

 namely, that while game is preserved and poultry- farming practised, 

 foxes must also be protected on his domain. This is consonant 

 with experience as regards mutual advantages, i. If no foxes, 

 no hunting, and no need for horses bred for that purpose ; no 

 necessity for selected oats, hay, and straw, no hard cash distri- 

 buted in a hunting country in wages, in up-keep of stables, kennels, 

 and mounts in respect of saddlers, tailors, medical and veterinary 

 surgeons, hunt breakfasts, luncheons, suppers, balls, etc., even 

 " meets " implying lavish expenditure. 2. If no foxes, game unduly 

 preserved and without restriction, in many cases beyond reason, 

 so as to hamper and hinder the farmer in his vocation, and raising 

 up a spirit of animosity and contention so expressed as to desire 

 total abolition of the Game Laws. 3. If no foxes, no necessity 

 for protective wire enclosures to breeding-grounds and poultry- 

 farms, no need for owners and occupiers to provide suitable and 

 roomy yards and shelters where the poultry can be locked in at 

 night. All these point to the enormous amount of money which 

 changes hands through the national sport of fox-hunting, and 



