AND THEIR CAUSES 65 



his own ideas about feeding, exercise, and condition 

 that have not been those of his predecessor; and 

 remember, any alteration in the treatment of hounds 

 and their daily routine will make a difference — it 

 may be for good or ill, but a difference it certainly 

 will make. Then comes cubbing time, and the learning 

 of the country when the leaf is off. A bad scent in 

 his first cub-hunting season utterly extinguished the 

 success of a friend of mine in the eyes of some of 

 his neighbours for at least a year and a half. Then 

 with indifferent scent in the regular season the un- 

 fortunate new-comer may find April upon him before 

 he has learned in what parts of his country scent 

 can be expected to hold — rather an important matter 

 to the huntsman when in chase of a fox ! 



But suppose all goes well for the first season : good 

 scent, good foxes, and fine weather for the critics. 

 All talk goes very well, be sure, for the M.F.H. then 

 — perhaps a shade too well ! Never was such a fine 

 fellow ! Never was such sport shown ! Who dares 

 to suggest a " crab " of any sort ? He is a popular 

 idol at once, and his popularity may carry him through 

 next season possibly, even if his sport be of very in- 

 ferior quality to that shown at first. But let scent 

 in the third season be bad ; let ill-luck come to his 

 kennel in the shape of disease or distemper, and I 

 fear very little will be heard in his favour, verj'^ few 

 allowances made. He feels compelled to go home 

 rather early for the sake of hounds, many of them, 

 perhaps, only just strong enough yet for a short day. 

 " How slack he is getting," is the cry. Good luck 

 attends the foxes, and they escape time after time. 



' Hounds, Gentlemen, Fleaae. (J 



