72 THE FOX 



be, they said, no foxes at all before the end of the 

 season. They had not a single blank day, and the 

 sport was better than it had ever been. Next season 

 there were an unusually large number of litters in the 

 country. People will not disturb vixens and cubs if 

 they think that the Master is doing his share in killing 

 them and thus keeping down the numbers. Then, too, 

 the Master who hunts his country equally and gives 

 the good and the bad alike a fair share of attention 

 will find his stock of foxes increase. 



The Vale is better for sport, but places like Pinch- 

 me-Near are the nurseries for strong wild foxes. The 

 forest foxes travel far and wide in the spring. Probably 

 very few woodland districts are hunted enough. 

 They are useful for foxes, excellent for hounds, but 

 trying for horses, and uninteresting to a great many 

 men. Foxes have a tendency, when much hunted, to 

 collect in woodlands that are little disturbed. If they 

 become over-numerous, if hounds come several times, 

 and because of a bad scent, or on account of the 

 presence of too many foxes, they do not kill, the 

 foxes often meet another fate. Most foxhunting is 

 not merely a great sport, but is really an effectual 

 means of keeping the foxes down, as the following 

 figures will show. It was stated some years ago, 

 that the Government of the colony of Victoria had in 



