102 THE HUNTING FIELD 



guard. There is no criterion in a hunting country 

 at least so infallible as a goodly show of foxes. It 

 shows that the farmers and the country people are 

 pleased rank, wealth, large demesne, will not insure 

 what the single word " popularity " will achieve. 

 Popularity is, in truth, the foundation of foxhunting. 

 It is very true that the sport is popular itself, but it 

 is also equally true that a popular man with moderate 

 means will far outstrip in his show of foxes the richest 

 millionaire who lacks that quality. 



Not that we mean to insinuate that keeping a 

 regular Earth-stopper is any sign of want of popu- 

 larity ; on the contrary, we have known some most 

 popular Masters who have always had them, but we 

 say that half a-hundred regular Earth-stoppers will 

 not insure foxes to a Master who is personally offensive 

 or objectionable. Fox - preserving, like voting by 

 ballot, is a good deal matter of conscience. A man 

 promises to " preserve " just as he promises to " vote " 

 for you, but if he keeps his own counsel you cannot 

 detect the contrary. After all is said and done, there- 

 fore, popularity is the best fox-finder. 



There is something very sporting and picturesque 

 about a fox earth. They are generally in romantic, 

 sequestered, secluded places ; in deep ravines, or on 

 the side of woody hills. Their adjuncts are all pure 

 and rural. The clean thrown up sand at the mouth, 

 the projecting rock above, or knarled root supporting 

 its lofty time-honoured oak, with the little accompani- 

 ments of bright growing hazel, knotty black thorn, 

 and withered fern or faded heath. It is strange how 

 fox after fox draws to the same spot; what was a 

 breeding earth a century ago is a breeding earth now, 

 and is as notorious to a country as a turnpike gate. 

 How creditable it is to the lower orders that they 

 should be held, as they are, inviolate, at least in all 

 countries where hounds come, or are even expected 

 to come. The man who has killed a fox is quite as 



