198 THOUGHTS ON HUNTING 



country to yourself, and can hunt on either side of 

 your house, as you please, should never (when you can 

 help it, determine on your place of hunting till you see 

 what the weather is likely to be. 1 The most probable 

 means to have good chases, is to choose your country 

 according to the wind. 



It will also require some consideration to place 

 hounds to the greatest advantage, where foxes either 

 are in great plenty, or very scarce. 



Hounds that lie idle are always out of wind, and 

 are easily fatigued. 2 The first day you go out after a 

 long frost, you cannot expect much sport ; take, there- 

 fore, considerably more than your usual number of 

 hounds, and throw them into the largest cover that 

 you have : if any foxes be in the country, it is there 

 that you will find them. After once or twice going 

 out in this manner, you should reduce your number. 3 



Before a huntsman goes into the kennel to draft 

 his hounds, let him determine within himself the 

 number of hounds that it will be right to take out, as 

 likewise the number of young hounds that he can 

 venture in the country where he is going to hunt. 

 Different countries may require different hounds : some 



1 When the scent lies badly, small covers, or those in which a fox 

 cannot move unseen, are most favourable to hounds. In such covers, 

 good sportsmen will kill foxes in almost any weather. 



[ 2 Hounds cannot have too much exercise during a long frost, and if 

 this is done thoroughly they will be neither out of wind nor easily 

 fatigued when the thaw comes.] 



3 During a frost, hounds may be exercised on downs, or the turnpike 

 roads ; nor will it do any material injury to their feet. Prevented from 

 hunting, they should be fed sparingly ; and such as can do without flesh, 

 should have none given them : a course of vegetables, sulphur, and thin 

 meat, is the likeliest means to keep them healthy. 



