HINTS TO THE HUNTSMAN 219 



when they are on the scent, the others will soon join 

 them. 



Let him lift his tail hounds, and get them forward 

 after the rest : it can do no hurt : but let him be 

 cautious in lifting any hounds, to get them forward 

 before the rest : it always is dangerous, and foxes are 

 sometimes lost by it. 



When a fox runs his foil in cover, if you suffer all 

 your hounds to hunt on the line of him, they will foil 

 the ground, and tire themselves to little purpose. I 

 have before told you that your huntsman, at such a 

 time, may stop the tail hounds, and throw them in at 

 head : I am almost inclined to say it is the only time 

 when it should be done. While hounds run straight 

 it cannot be of any use ; for they will get on faster 

 with the scent than they would without it. 



When hounds are hunting a cold scent, and point 

 towards a cover, let a whipper-in get forward to the 

 opposite side of it : should the fox break before the 

 hounds reach the cover, stop them, and get them 

 nearer to him. 



When a fox persists in running in a strong cover, 

 lies down often behind the hounds, and they are slack 

 in hunting him, let the huntsman get into the cover to 

 them : it may make the fox break ; it may keep him 

 off his foil ; or may prevent the hounds from giving 

 him up. 



It is not often that slow huntsmen kill many foxes : 

 they are a check upon their hounds, which seldom kill 

 a fox but with a high scent, when it is out of their 

 power to prevent it. What avails it, to be told which 



