SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 397 



are many opportunities when experienced sportsmen 

 can lend a helping hand in case the whipper-in may 

 be absent from his post. 



Whilst drawing coverts, the head whipper-in 

 cannot be here, there, and everywhere at the same 

 moment, although, perhaps, expected to do such 

 ubiquitous duty : and here a sensible amateur w ho 

 knows '^ who^s who ^' in the pack — videlicit, has made 

 himself acquainted with the hounds and their various 

 dispositions — may be of great service to the master, 

 and contribute greatly to the sport of his fellow 

 foxhunters, by a judicious use of his voice and whip 

 in several ways. When the body of the pack has 

 settled to one fox he may cut off stragglers breaking 

 away after another. If young hounds are running 

 riot, of which he has ocular proof, a rate and a 

 crack of the whip at the right moment are of signal 

 service to the master and huntsman. We are, of 

 course, supposing the amateur who can do these 

 things to be a proficient in the science, otherwise 

 he may do more mischief than good. When a few 

 couples get ahead of the pack, he may have an 

 opportunity of stopping them, absenti whipper-in. 

 At a check on a fallow field, nothing more likely 

 than for a " timid '^ to start up from her form and 

 scuttle away, with Foreman and Fleecer, straining 

 every muscle to catch her. A cut over them, with a 

 deep guttural note, will prevent others following their 

 bad example. But hallooing and screaming is quite a 

 different affair to rating, producing the contrary- effect, 

 and creating immense confusion. An amateur assis- 

 tant, however zealously affected towards tlie orderly 



