96 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND 



ranking in the catalogue of vermin, may, as a mat- 

 ter of course, be killed at all times of tlie year and 

 by anybody ; and save for foxhunting having be- 

 come quite the fashion, and public opinion enlisted 

 on its side, the vulpine race would ere now have 

 been nearly extinct in this country. 



Some few masters of hounds, having unlimited 

 power to do as they list, may therefore kill their 

 May fox and July cub, if the number of foxes 

 suffice for such extravagance ; but these instances 

 are only to be found in woodland countries. In 

 moderation, the earlier young hounds can be entered 

 to their game, the more steady they will become 

 before the opening day of the regular season ; but 

 we think the time appointed for grouse-shooting is 

 quite early enough for cub-hunting to commence 

 also, and this can only be done in favoured locali- 

 ties, where the woods are surrounded by pasture 

 land on every side. In arable countries, the corn 

 is seldom cleared from the fields before the 1st of 

 September, varying a week or two according to the 

 season ; and if the weather continues hot and dry, 

 cub-hunting must be delayed until a heavy fall of 

 rain, to moisten the ground, or your hounds will 

 suffer severely from beginning to hunt on such hard 

 surface. Long toes are not conducive to the beauty 

 or efficiency of a foxhound. 



Whatever may be said as to the tameness of 

 cub-hunting, it is the reverse of tame work to 

 hounds ; in fact, we do not know any more severe 

 than a woodland day in autumn before the meuses 

 of the covert are opened, with the leaves yet green 



