SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 387 



even near the side of the covert to be first drawn. 

 Moreover^ masters of experience know full well the 

 necessity of keeping their own counsel^ or, in other 

 words, sealing their lij)s, as to their line of march 

 from a given fixture. If a certain covert is gene- 

 rally drawn from a certain place, many will not go 

 to that place at all if lying out of their road from 

 home, but content themselves with loitering at the 

 wood hedge, instead of riding a mile further to the 

 advertised fixture ; yet, whilst approving their 

 prudence in saving their horses' legs, we are reluct- 

 antly compelled to disappoint the expectations of 

 the few in order to ensure, as much as in our power 

 lies, the sport of the majority. If the same covert 

 is invariably drawn from the same place of meetings 

 that covert will be besieged by a host of foot-men as 

 well as horsemen, long before the arrival of the 

 hounds; and if there is a good fox in it, he will 

 make sure to be out of it on the first intimation of 

 danger. A good old fox is rarely caught napping, 

 and as rarely waits to be found by hounds. We do 

 hear occasionally of a straight running one being 

 thus found ; but it is generally in a strange country 

 or in the spring of the year, when dog-foxes are 

 unusually indolent and sleepy during the day, from 

 travelling many miles over night. But a knowing 

 old wily, upon his own ground, when finding his 

 door shut, is always on the qui vive for squalls ; and 

 the tramp of horses or talking of pedestrians 

 around the wood are sufficient hints to make himself 

 scarce as soon as possible. 



We have often known foxes to leave the strongest 



c c 2 



