10 THE DIARY OF A HUNTSMAN 



way ; for the fox has time to prepare himself, 

 and will hang about the cover until he is fit to 

 go, during which he is abused as a dunghill brute, 

 etc., but when he does go, catch him who can. 

 But the same fox which has beaten hounds into 

 fits almost, if he had been whipped up out of his 

 kennel in a bit of gorse, would not have stood a 

 burst of twenty minutes. A little observation in 

 the upper countries may prove the above, for if 

 a fox hangs about in a bit of gorse for half an 

 hour or so before he breaks, it takes a great deal 

 to kill him, though the pack were close at him 

 when he started. And there are foxes that can 

 beat any hounds, if they have time to prepare 

 themselves, and have a fair start. 



In most covers there is a favourite quarter which 

 holds a fox, and the sooner that is drawn the 

 better ; for if it is a good scenting day and there 

 is a drag, the fox is aware of it, and will be off 

 the moment he hears the huntsman's voice ; there- 

 fore, as no man can tell till he has tried whether 

 it is a good scenting day or not, he should adopt 

 the safe plan and find him quickly if he can, 

 particularly if late in the year. A fox generally 

 lies where the rays of the sun can reach him during 

 the day, — in two-year-old coppice wood, etc. It 

 is worthy of notice that one cover will generally 

 hold a fox, when another adjoining it seldom or 



