HUNTING THE FOX 237 



Barby Holt Run (Quorn), December 1894. Time, 

 2 hours 40 minutes; point 13 miles; distance as 

 hounds ran, 2 7 miles. One fox was killed. 



In these selected runs, of which four can be read 

 in detail in ' Baily's Hunting Directory,' and the 

 account of the Meynell run in ' The Field/ there were, 

 according to the estimate of the several huntsmen, 

 seven foxes concerned, of which only two were killed. 

 The Meynell fox was struck on the head with a hunt- 

 ing crop by a farmer as he was in the act of crawling 

 into his earth. But, so far as I can see, if I had 

 chosen other historic runs the balance would have 

 been still more in favour of the fox. 



It is said that the little daughter of an M.F.H. 

 when repeating her Sunday catechism was asked 

 which were the good gifts of Providence we could not 

 do without. To which she promptly replied, ' Foxes.' 

 Without going so far as this, we may say that hardly 

 any animal has, in the long history of its race, been of 

 more importance in the literature and life of man, 

 or is more interesting as a study of animal life and 

 mind. 



This is the conviction with which I write these 

 closing words. If we could re-live the past, the fox- 

 hunter would certainly choose many of his best hunting 

 days for repetition. Indeed the man whose remark at 



