FOX-HUNTING. "7^7 



and besides being low in spirits ; and when turned out he 

 neither knows the country, nor has he a settled point to 

 make for. It is therefore not to be wondered at, that bag- 

 foxes seldom or ever make a good run. Bag-foxes invariably 

 run down the wind, but lose time in not knowing what to 

 do, while the hounds follow very close to them ; thus they are 

 spoiled from running a cold scent : on the first day they may 

 be out ; more especially if they chance to be led to a hard 

 stony road, or among flocks of sheep, or over a greasy fallow. 



The only means of obviating the effect of turning out a 

 fox from a bag before the hounds, and thus vitiating their 

 taste for finding, is to take him to a cover, at some dis- 

 tance from the hounds, and there turn him out. The pack 

 should be brought to the spot, and led to believe that they 

 have found him themselves. 



When a fox goes to ground after a long hunt, and the 

 hounds want blood, it is best to kill him in the earth, 

 taking care to stop all the holes while digging lest he should 

 bolt. If the hole be straight, and the earth light, follow 

 it, and by keeping below its level it cannot be lost ; but 

 where the earth is strong, the best method is to let the terrier 

 fix the fox in an angle of it, and a pit sunk to him as near 

 as possible : keep the terrier at him, lest he should shift 

 his position, and where the ground is loose dig himself 

 deeper. In digging, keep plenty of room, taking care not to 

 throw the earth where it may be required to be again moved. 

 It is a bad practice to allow hounds to draw the fox, and 

 should never be permitted. To save digging, a piece of 

 whipcord may be attached to the end of a stick, which the 

 fox is sure to seize, when it may be twisted tight round 

 either his upper or under jaw, and then he may be easily 

 drawn. 



It is a most injudicious practice for gentlemen to purchase 



