134 MANAGEMENT OF HOUNDS. 



and that a fox leaves the wood as the shades of evening 

 fall, and hunts for his game in the open fields ? I do not 

 mean to say if a wounded bird falls in his w^ay he v^^ill 

 not catch him — he would be a fool of a fox if he did not-^ 

 but 4;he chief food upon which foxes subsist are rabbits, 

 mice, beetles, and even frogs. Hares will, of course, fall 

 in their way occasionally ; but, as the hare is fleeter of 

 foot than the fox, it is her own fault if she does not 

 escape him. 



Some old women, not in petticoats, believe foxes will 

 distroy anything and everything short of the human spe- 

 cies ; and one veritable old woman believed this also, and 

 was nearly frightened to death on account of her babbyy 

 as will appear from the following run, chronicled some 

 years ago, and which, for the amusement of those who 

 like to read good runs, even although they have taken 

 place in bygone days, I copy literatim : — 



" February, 1794. — On Saturday, the pack of foxhounds belonging to 

 the Duke of Beaufort, unkennelled a fox at Stanton Park, which they ran 

 so sharp, that Reynard was obliged to take refuge in a small cottage at 

 Castlecoombe, where he entered, and jumped into a cradle (out of which 

 an old woman had, but a few minutes before, taken an infant). His cla- 

 morous foes soon rushed in, and seized their victim ; the old woman not 

 a little affrighted at these unexpected guests." 



In a provincial country, not quite so many years ago, 

 a nobleman was persuaded by his head keeper, tjiat the 

 foxes, not satisfied with killing half his game, had actu- 

 ally become so fastidious, that they required venison for 

 their suppers, and had commenced an onslaught upon 

 the fawns in his park. My lord, not being a foxhunter 

 himself, although professing liberal opinions in politics 

 (which often amounts with many to a liberality in politics 



