THE FOX 67 



man who has been knocking over pheasants in 

 a cool, businesslike way, will burst out with a 

 ringing tally-ho, and there will be a sparkle in 

 his eye that no amount of feathered game could 

 bring there. I think, however, it is the wildness 

 of the fox which constitutes his greatest charm. 

 The tame animal you see occasionally tied to a 

 barrel does not make you feel in the least excited, 

 and your only feeling is one of pity. It is the 

 idea that you are not hunting the wild animal 

 which makes the turning out of a bagman such 

 an objectionable proceeding to all good sportsmen. 

 Hunting bag-foxes is a prostitution of a noble 

 sport, and can only be excused under very special 

 circumstances. The pursuit of any wild animal 

 is a pleasure and a sport, whatever means are 

 employed ; but personally I consider the use of 

 the hound as the best and highest form. The 

 wilder the animal and the more difficult it is to 

 get at, the greater the pleasure in bringing it 

 to hand. Deer-stalking is a very exciting sport, 

 but who would care to shoot a semi-tame stag 

 from his dining-room window ? 



In my estimation, a great part of the pleasure 

 of any wild sport lies in a knowledge and a study 



