74 



considered a fresh draw. It might be a good plan to 

 impose fines for losing, thus a premium of ten 

 pounds for every fox killed or run to ground, and ten 

 shillings for everyone lost. This would put an end 

 to the reprehensiblq practice of galloping on to 

 the nearest covert, when the first cast hae not proved 

 successful, a custom which is very unfair on covert 

 owners and earth stoppers. On a moderate scenting 

 day it is not unusual to see at least half-a-dozen 

 coverts disturbed in the course of one run, or rather 

 what is supposed to be one run. If good sport is to be 

 enjoyed in a grass country it is of the utmost importance 

 the small coverts should be jealously guarded, and 

 never drawn without a three weeks' interval. Foxes 

 may and do make for other coverts, but very seldom 

 when hard run. The custom which exists in some 

 countries of having earths in the coverts is responsible 

 for foxes going there for refuge. In a section of 

 country that is hunted regularly once a week the 

 master as far as possible tries to arrange his meets 

 by dividing it into three, but the number of coverts 

 is limited and if a huntsman hides his incapacity 

 to recover a fox's line by galloping on for another, 

 the coverts will all be hound-stained and the best foxes 

 will either go away or he out in the fields. 



It is a great advantage to a huntsman to be a good 

 horseman and have the nerve to ride over aU sorts of 

 fences without allowing the fact to divert his attention 

 from his hounds. In woodlands hearing is essential, 

 and a man should be able to teU by ear alone exactly 

 what hounds are doing, every turn they make and the 

 change of note should they switch on to a fresh fox. 

 Of course, in the open his eye should always be on the 

 pack and be quick to reahse the moment a leading hound 



