72 THE COMPLETE FOXHUNTER 



should receive a little more attention ; and though it 

 is possible that such views may meet with some oppo- 

 sition, it is quite certain that they are strictly correct. 

 Unless foxes are regularly hunted, and a fair propor- 

 tion killed in the poor — or what are considered poor — 

 parts of the country, there is sure to be an outcry on 

 the part of some one, and it is bad for any hunt when 

 it is talked about slightingly — say at the local market 

 ordinary, or amongst the non-hunting population. 



Many countries are greatly varied in their constitu- 

 tion, having vale, hills, woodlands, and perhaps even 

 moorlands within their confines, and when this is the 

 case the riding will be better in some districts than it 

 is in others. But to neglect the bad country for the 

 good is a great mistake, because it is unfair, and likely 

 to lead to trouble. Farmers living in the best part of 

 an average country have sometimes cause for the com- 

 plaint that hounds are never off their land, and farmers, 

 gamekeepers, and others who live in country which is 

 included in a hunt, but to which hounds are seldom 

 taken, are at times inclined to consider that because 

 hounds visit them so seldom they are at liberty to kill 

 foxes on their own account. 



This view we have heard given out publicly by a 

 tenant farmer at a puppy show luncheon. He simply 

 stated that in his neighbourhood it was impossible 

 to keep a good supply of foxes because some of his 

 neighbours put them down, and he went on to say that 

 this putting down was due to two facts, firstly that 

 hounds did not come often enough, and secondly that 

 when they did come they seldom killed a fox. The 

 farmer who spoke was a hunting man, and the position 

 was a peculiar one ; for not only was the bit of country 

 an outlying corner, very remote from the kennels, but 



