162 THOUGHTS ON HUNTING 



he is able to prevent it, so, nine times out of ten, when 

 foxes are hallooed early in the day, they are all fresh 

 foxes. The hounds most likely to be right, are the 

 hard -running line -hunting hounds, or such as the 

 huntsman knows had the lead before there arose any 

 doubt of changing. With regard to the fox, if he 

 break over an open country, it is no sign that he is 

 hard-run ; for they seldom at any time will do that, 

 unless they be a great way before the hounds ; also, if 

 he run up the wind ; as they seldom or ever do that 

 when they have been long hunted and grow weak ; 

 and when they run their foil, that also may direct him. 

 All this, as you will perceive, requires a good ear and 

 nice observation ; and, indeed, in that consists the 

 chief excellence of a huntsman. 



When the hounds divide and are in two parts, the 

 whipper-in, in stopping, must attend to the huntsman, 

 and wait for his halloo, before he attempts to stop 

 either ; for want of proper management in this 

 particular, I have known the hounds stopped at both 

 places, and both foxes lost by it. If they have many 

 scents, and it is quite uncertain which is the hunted 

 fox, let him stop those that are farthest down the 

 wind, as they can hear the others, and will reach 

 them soonest : in such a case, there will be little 

 use in stopping those that are up the wind. 



When hounds are at a check, let every one be 

 silent and stand still : but as I have already said so 

 much on that head in my eleventh Letter, on hare- 

 hunting, I beg leave to refer you to it. Whippers-in 

 are frequently at this time coming on with the tail 



