The Field-Master and the Field. I27 



When hounds are held up for lunch or other light 

 refreshments there is a suspension of all the rules, 

 save such as may pertain to picnicking, with which I 

 do not pretend to be acquainted. I may, however, 

 venture a hint to those hospitable members of a 

 hunt who bring out provisions and drinks in their 

 conveyances : and that is to remember that the hunt- 

 servants have been up several hours longer than 

 anyone else, and have had harder work to do, and 

 that they will possibly be more grateful for a sub- 

 stantial sandwich or a chunk of bread and cheese 

 than for much strong drink. Never offer them 

 spirits, and if they can be given a choice between 

 beer and either cider or shandygaff they will, if 

 wise men, select one of the latter beverages. 



We will hope that presently, in the course of the 

 hunt, a loud and unmistakable roar from the hounds 

 proclaims '' a solid mark." What should the Field 

 do then? What they too often do is to make a 

 wild rush in a body to the spot at which hounds are 

 marking their Otter. This is precisely what they 

 should not do ; they can be of no use there, can see 

 nothing, and only hamper operations. 



If each member stands on the bank exactly where 

 he or she was when hounds marked, they will col- 

 lectively be of great assistance to the huntsman, 

 and incidentally possess a better chance of seeing 

 something of the sport. Directly hounds have 



