1IAR1:S, AND IIARE-IiUNTlNG. 185 



Hares are iuuUed by horsemen wiih liarriers, but the enthusiastic beagler 

 refuses to admit that, in a close country, hare-huntins; on horseback is equal 

 to beagling, and lie utterly despises the claim of liarriers to be considered 

 superior to beagles, although the dictum of authorities has, some years ago, 

 been given to that effect. 



" Fit in hi.'? place and time.'' 



" At Christmas I iio more desire a rose, 

 Than wish a snow in May's new-fangled shows." 



Love's Labour's Lost, act i, scene i. 



The season for hare-hunting commences early in October, and ends at 

 the beginning of March : the oi)ening of the season being regulated by the 

 state of the harvest, and the close by the fear of killing leverets. In some 

 seasons, when winter has been severe and protracted, hunting can be safely 

 carried on somewhat later than usual. In mountainous countries like that of 

 the Llangollen Harriers, hunting may properly he continued till near the end 

 of March, as the breeding season for hares is later than in open countries 

 like ours. 



In the early days of the R.R.B., the season opened earlier and closed 

 later than with us now, viz., September iSth to April loth ; the consequence 

 being that there are many notices in the Sport Book of killing leverets. 

 Occasionally a late harvest delayed the opening of the season, as it did with 

 us in 1892, when wheat on some farms in Wirral was uncut even as late as 

 October 31st. The Sport Book informs us that in 1853 — 



The lateness of the harvest caused us to delay our first meet three weeks, 

 to October 15th. 



September 19th, 1846. In consequence of the extreme heat of the weather, 

 and the hardness of the ground, the hounds were not able to meet at Moreton 

 to-day. 



At this period, in one of the seasons kept up till the end of March, the 

 R.R.B. "chopped four leverets in as many days." After this, the day for 

 opening was fixed for about the 6th October, and for closing about the 

 loth March, which have remained the limits ever since. For some years past 

 efforts have been repeatedly made in both the Houses of Parliament to bring 

 in a bill for a close time for hares. These efforts have been freely supported 

 by sportsmen of all ranks and by farmers, but the bills have always been 

 persistently blocked. 



" .^nd, for the morning now is something worn, 

 Our purposed hunting shall be set aside." 



M idsummer Night's Dream, act iv, scene i. 



The best time of day for sport is undoubtedly the early morning, when 

 scent is at its best. In olden times this was the hour selected for hunting, 

 but in those days hunting was the pastime of men of rank and leisure ; men 



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