22 UNASKED ADVICE. 



more than a bit of elastic is most clumsy and unpleasant. 

 A later form is a box spur, the point of which often goes 

 through the cloth of the skirt ; and I can hardly fancy 

 that it improves it. With a short skirt, however, the 

 spur may be used without damage to the cloth. 



Whips must not be mere toys. A lady has not a 

 man's right leg and spur, and her whip must as far as 

 possible supply their place. They are made of every 

 colour and of all manner of materials. If a lady carries 

 a hunting whip, it should be strong enough to open 

 a gate in case of necessity. 



Tolerably thick dogskin gloves, and, in cold weather, 

 mittens or muffatees, are desirable for hunting. In town, 

 weather being mostly warm, people can please them- 

 selves; and many seem to think that dirty white kid 

 gloves are pretty — chacim a son gout. Out hunting it is 

 always a wise precaution to take a pair of knitted or 

 woollen gloves : they can go in the pocket of the saddle, 

 and make a great difference in the warmth and comfort 

 of the hands. If it begins to rain, which it is likely to 

 do on nine hunting days out of every ten, the reins, 

 when wet, can be held firmly with wooUen gloves, but 

 will infallibly slip through leather ones. 



A waterproof coat is as great a comfort as it is possible 

 to have. The gi^oom can carry it, or it may be rolled up 

 and put on the off side of the side saddle. They are 

 generally made double-breasted, and of the shape depicted 

 in the sketch. They must be "plenty large enough," 

 otherwise there will be some trouble in putting them on 

 and off without dismounting. They don't protect the 

 knees, but the skirt of the habit can always be ^' dipped,'^ 

 as men's red coats are, which process makes it waterproof, 

 at all events for some time. It will turn many showers. 



