266 STAG-HUNTING 



and refuse to face the open. The fox-hunter, who 

 looks upon the finding of the fox as half the 

 business of his sport, does not take kindly to 

 seeing two or three couple used only for that 

 purpose, the rest of the pack being meanwhile 

 shut up in the nearest farmhouse. The use of 

 ' tufters,' as they are called, is, however, a necessity 

 in driving the old stag from his companions, and 

 to throw the whole pack into covert would mean 

 the slaughter of calves and yearlings. It would 

 be difficult to say exactly what would happen, but 

 I imagine hounds would be split up into small 

 parties, and it would be impossible to re-unite 

 them when the right kind of stag went away. 



The most important person is the harbourer, 

 and on his skill the day's sport mainly depends. 

 He must not only track the deer to the covert 

 where it finally lies down to rest, but he must be 

 able to know by its slot whether it is the right 

 size and age. Unless the man is competent and 

 well up to his work, you may perhaps spend the 

 whole day in drawing for the animal you want. 

 The harbourer 's duties entail much labour and he 

 has often to be out the whole night, so that those 

 who have the management of hounds cannot be 



