46 



may spend half the night searching for his cattle. The 

 gates, however, which it is most important should be 

 closed, are those leading on to roads. Cattle, and espe- 

 cially horses, may stray many miles before they are 

 recovered, which, apart from the risk of being run into by 

 motor cars, gives the unfortunate stock-owner endless 

 trouble. These things cannot always be avoided, but 

 at least we should try as far as we can, each by our own 

 individual effort, to lessen the chance of such happenings. 

 I am rather afraid there is a tendency in big fields to-day 

 to act as a crowd and to lose the sense of personal 

 responsibility. A red coat was always considered the 

 uniform of a gentleman, and in the country is still 

 regarded as such, so that it behoves those who sport the 

 gay garment to see they do nothing to disgrace the 

 colour. A consideration for the feelings of others is 

 almost universally thought to be the first qualification of 

 a gentleman. In order to retain that good feeling which 

 from earliest times has existed between fox-hunters and 

 the whole countryside, the former must bear in mind 

 the qualifications mentioned a.ove. 



In the last few years the motor car has been the 

 means of severing the pleasant relations between visitors 

 and non-hunting residents. Very few people ever hack 

 to the meet nowadays and the car awaits the finish of the 

 day's sport. Although a man may never have the chance 

 of riding to hounds the love of hunting is inherent in 

 nearly all those who are country bred, and everyone 

 wants to know what hounds have done. Riding to the 

 meet and riding home again afforded opportunities to 

 pass *' the time of day," discuss sport, and generally 

 become better acquainted. 



The excitement of a hunt or an attack of nerves are 

 the chief factors in causing those little outbursts of 



