The Field-Master and the Field. 125 



this the chances of picking up a drag become remote, 

 and the day's sport may be ruined in consequence. 

 The lazy folk, who are the chief culprits in this 

 respect, and who prefer to turn out after a com- 

 fortable and normal breakfast, should keep away 

 not only from the banks of the river but from the 

 water-meadows and tributaries also. If they walk 

 upon the nearest road until hounds have passed by 

 them and then cut down to the stream they will 

 still be in time for the fun and run no risk of spoil- 

 ing sport. 



It is these thoughtless late-comers who are respon- 

 sible for another annoyance which affects hounds and 

 huntsman, namely, a habit of shouting loud-voiced 

 greetings across the river to friends and acquaint- 

 ances whom they recognise on the other bank. 

 Hounds should be troubled to listen to no voice 

 save that of their huntsman and the whippers-in 

 until an Otter is put down, when they will be on the 

 alert for a " tally " from any member of the Field 

 who has viewed the Otter. Therefore, all loud- 

 voiced talking, shouts of greeting, laughter, and so 

 forth in their vicinity are calculated to get their heads 

 up ; and anything of the sort when hounds are mark- 

 ing is fatal to sport. 



Otter-hunting is a very sociable pursuit, and one 

 of its many pleasures is the intercourse between 

 members of a hunt when hounds are drawing, 



