HUNTING 75 



the member in whose district it is forwards it to 

 one of the farmers of the committee, who at once 

 investigates the claim (if the member does not do 

 so himself), and marks on the claim the amount 

 thought to be reasonable. 



Q. Are false or frivolous claims often sent in ? 



A. Sometimes they are very ludicrous ! The 

 writer has known claims sent in for pigs, ewes, 

 calves, foals, and once even for a sick cow that 

 had died ! 



It is a great boon to a hunt if they possess some 

 shrewd, practical member, one who would have 

 succeeded at the Bar if he had been fated to enter 

 that profession, and who can put his finger at once 

 upon the weak spot in the chain of evidence. 



On one occasion a claim was sent in for twenty 

 fowls that were stated to have been taken by a 

 fox, whereupon the member for the district went 

 over to inquire into the claim. On arriving at 

 the farm he took the opportunity, before he 

 entered the house, to count the fowls he saw 

 running about, and then went in to interview 

 the farmer's wife. " How many chickens had 

 you," he inquired, " before the fox took them ? " 

 whereupon the dame answered, " One hundred." 

 " And," said he, producing a letter from his 

 pocket, " the fox took twenty, did he not ? " 

 "Yes," replied the dame. "That's all right, 

 then," said her visitor, " I am so glad to be able 

 to tell you your chickens have come back again, 

 for I have just counted a hundred outside the 

 house ! Good morning." 



On another occasion the same envoy investi- 

 gated a claim for eleven fat fowls, and on arriving 

 at the farm he asked if they would show him the 



