CHAPTER XX 



WHICH IS THE BEST MONTH OF THE SEASON? 



If I were so unfortunately situated that my hunting 

 was restricted to one month in the year, February 

 is the month I would choose. I look upon it as the 

 veritable " hunter's moon," when the stout travelling 

 dog-fox comes courting from afar. 



"The stranger, the traveller, stout, gallant, and shy," 

 who leaves covert as soon as found — nay, often without 

 a warning note being heard. The click of the gate 

 of the covert-field, or the tramping of many horses 

 approaching on the road are hints sufficient for him, 

 and away he steals for some haunt in the neighbouring 

 parish with ten minutes' clear start and all the odds 

 in his favour. If this happen in the afternoon, we 

 have light enough in February to pursue him afar, 

 and the evening scent in this month, I have noticed, 

 is often the best of the year. The touch of spring 

 frost that comes at nightfall so often is in the air, 

 and hounds can usually run like fire on such an 

 evening. 



What straight-necked heroes some of these February 

 foxes have proved themselves ! What a number of 

 those immortal fox-hunts which have been handed 



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