THE BEAGLE 



197 



A writer in the Field thus described rabbit-hunting with 

 Pocket Beagles : " But supposing there are no hares, still we can get 

 real fun out of our miniature pack. ... By carefully netting a few 

 rabbits and turning them down, quite uninjured, in a field of roots 

 or a thick hedgerow far from their usual haunts, an afternoon's 

 excellent sport may be obtained. Giving bunny twenty minutes' law 

 to shake off any feeling of stiffness or fright and enable him to take 

 stock of the new country, we bring up ' the toys.' Now let them find 

 him, hunt him, kill him if they can all by themselves ; you are not 

 there to kill the rabbit, but to see your toy hounds hunt him like a 

 pack of little tigers, with a burst of music which will often put to 



FIG. 51. MR. WALTER CROFTON'S TOIN. BEAGLE COLONIST. 



shame the local pack of Foxhounds. A short, sharp burst followed 

 by a pretty bit of slow hunting ; up jumps bunny again, down the 

 hedgerow, through, and out of sight, quick over for another burst, 

 for the tiny hounds are working like demons after the excitement 

 of their view. Many a corner you elders will have to cut if you 

 wish to be always there ; but the rules of the game must be observed. 

 See that your rabbit is perfectly uninjured before he is turned out. 

 Give him a fair start i.e. no shaking out of a. bag in front of the 

 hounds make them find him. Do not cramp your rabbit up in a 

 small box or a bag for twenty-four hours before expecting him to run. 

 Do not help your pack; bunny is sufficiently handicapped by the 

 strangeness of his surroundings. Do not let your hounds exceed 



