174 THE HUNTING FIELD 



them for the existence of the animal we hunt ; and 

 their sufferance, nay, protection of it, is the more dis- 

 interested and meritorious, inasmuch as foxes cannot 

 by any possibility do Farmers any good, but, on the 

 contrary, are almost certain to occasion them loss 

 and inconvenience. They, in fact, harbour animals for 

 their own inconvenience. This they do, too, in spite 

 of domestic grievances and expostulations, for foxes 

 occasionally make sad foray 'es among the poultry, and 

 it would be extremely difficult to convince a Farmer's 

 wife that a hare was not quite as good an animal to 

 harbour for the purpose of hunting, and a much 

 better one for the purposes of the table. It may be 

 said that harriers go three times over the ground for 

 the fox's once, and granted they do, still they do not go 

 over wheat, or ground on which they can do damage ; 

 at least they " didn't ought to do," seeing the case is 

 never one of urgency. But, with a flying, straight- 

 running fox, with a burning scent, and main earths 

 open in an adjoining country, so far from caring for 

 wheat, we believe a field of foxhunters would ride 

 over the great Lord Mayor himself, and all the court 

 of aldermen, if they came in the way. It may also 

 be said that Farmers enjoy the sport themselves as 

 much as any one out, and we grant those who come 

 out do ; but for one Farmer that hunts, there are five 

 hundred that do not. Recent times have not been 

 favourable to the race of Foxhunting-Farmers, and 

 many, we fear, are dismounted. Besides, those who 

 do hunt are generally the top-sawyers of the trade; 

 whereas, in many countries, the preservation of foxes 

 may be quite as much dependent upon a small 

 Farmer who has not the means of hunting, as upon a 

 large holder. 



A favourite argument in favour of Farmers encourag- 

 ing foxes and foxhunting, has always been the advantage 

 they derive from the consumption of hay, oats, straw 

 farming produce generally and the opportunities 



