THE FOX AS OUTLAW 153 



shot at as they come out. But this is an uncertain 

 method, for five foxes were once bolted from an 

 earth near Dolgelly and every one of them was 

 missed. In fact a fox is not easy to shoot. A Welsh 

 Master of Hounds was entertaining on one occasion 

 a brother M.F.H. from England. One morning a 

 messenger came to say that a farmer threatened to 

 shoot a fox that was lurking round his homestead. 

 ' Tell him to blaze away,' said the Master, calmly. 

 Then, turning to his guest, he said, ' You see, we 

 can't afford compensation. Most likely the gun 

 won't go off, or the old man will miss the fox. If he 

 does the fox will never give him a second chance.' 



Many stories are told of the extraordinary en- 

 durance of Welsh foxes. The Ynsfor Otter Hounds 

 once hunted a hill-fox over the slopes of Snowdon" 

 for three hours. The late Lord Henry Vane- 

 Tempest's hounds had also some wonderful runs. 

 The hill-foxes, with their knowledge of the ground, 

 have every advantage, and slip over and round 

 obstructions which hinder and weary the hounds, so 

 that these stout hill-foxes of Wales are recorded to 

 have beaten hounds after running for four hours and 

 upwards, covering immense distances. 



But it is not only in these wild regions that the 

 fox is an outlaw : there are many places in England 



