20 HUNTING. 



or cattle are the hindering cause, then it is better 

 to press them on than to " lift " them. 



Sometimes when a fox runs into a small covert 

 huntsmen stop their hounds and hold them round 

 it on the chance that he has gone through it, and 

 so save a few minutes. It is far better to let them 

 hunt him through it. You may change foxes or 

 another fox may go away with your hunted fox and 

 there will then be two lines, and so on. If, how- 

 ever, the manoeuvre is adopted, let your whippers-in 

 keep a sharp look-out that your hunted fox does not 

 slip back. 



With a sinking fox and he running short, do not 

 get excited, let your hounds work it out. Get their 

 heads up and you will lose him. 



With a sinking fox, unless you are getting very 

 close to him, if the scent appears to get better take 

 care you may not have changed foxes, because the 

 scent of a sinking fox is weaker than that of a fresh 

 one. 



Old hounds know this, therefore watch them 

 well. If they hold back you have changed foxes. 



If a fox gets to ground always cast carefully 

 round to be certain he is really there. He may 

 have tried the place — gone in for a moment and 

 come out again — or gone right through. Through 

 neglecting this precaution some extremely ludicrous 

 scenes occur. 



If a beaten fox goes to ground it is better to dig 

 him out if you can. People say, " Oh, spare a good 

 fox for another day," but he will most likely die 

 under ground. 



