THE SEASON OF THE YEAE. 83 



and the itinerant variety of subscription master increases 

 and multiplies. Bad sport is tlie inevitable result. On 

 tlie other hand, there are establishments where every- 

 thing is as it should be ; but these are the exceptions. 



Time goes on surely, and not particularly slowly. 

 Hounds and foxes ought by the latter end of October to 

 have learned their lessons, and happy is the M.F.H. who, 

 having killed a sufficiency of cubs to blood his hounds, has 

 a good show of foxes still remaining. I have heard dis- 

 cussions as to whether ^^ blood," as the killing and eating 

 of the fox is elegantly termed, was an indispensable 

 necessary to the due performance of hounds^ work in 

 the field. I cannot myself see how there can be two 

 opinions about it. Hounds who are accustomed to losing 

 their foxes must expect to do so ; they will never per- 

 severe heartily in what they consider a losing game, and 

 in this respect they are like all other dogs Pointers do 

 not tear their game to pieces ; at all events, I think I 

 can guess what would be ^' Idstone^s " opinion of one 

 that did so : but they must have game killed to them — 

 must see that the partridge has not "bested''^ them. 

 Seeing the bird fall and be bagged is to them what tear- 

 ing and eating the fox is to the foxhound. Eating the 

 fox is no doubt an acquired habit. Some hounds — 

 capital hunters — will never attempt to break up anything, 

 though they will, attack and kill the fox if they get the 

 chance. What was the origin of eating the fox is beyond 

 my knowledge. It is certainly the most convenient way 

 of disposing of the worthless carcase, which while alive 

 was so valuable, and it makes a spirited ^/??^aZe, besides 

 affording unlimited delight and merriment to all rustic 

 beholders of the scene. I have known masters of harriers 

 let their hunds break up their hares, with the notion that 



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