234 THE FOX 



that has come from a distance. Such a fox does not 

 know all the drains and earths and badger-haunts of 

 the neighbourhood, but is visiting, so he speeds away 

 for home as soon as he can disentangle himself. It 

 will be found in all the instances quoted below that 

 in every case but one the fox had come out of 

 another country. This is shown not only by the fact 

 of his going back there as quickly as possible, but by 

 the way he ignores coverts and other similar refuges 

 until he reaches his own ground. 



I have looked over the records of a great many runs. 

 The odd thing is that, whatever period of hunting 

 history one examines, the great run is always introduced 

 with a comment that foxes do not now run as once they 

 did, and the remark that the Master's grandfather 

 enjoyed such gallops nearly every time he went out 

 hunting. I think the considerations noted above will 

 show that historic runs could never at any time have 

 been at all common, since at no period could all the 

 necessary conditions have come together very often. 

 My own view is that such runs, i.e., an hour or 

 more of practically continuous hunting, are just as 

 common (or as rare) as they ever were. I notice, 

 too, that these foxes were in several cases headed 

 more than once. There is no doubt that foxes in 

 crowded countries learn to disregard carriages, horses, 



