122 FOXES AT HOME. 



well-blooding the young entry and " smashing 

 up" that litter. The covert is surrounded and 

 the cubs held up till they are all more or less 

 exhausted, and one or two, if not more, fall 

 victims. I do not think this is either business 

 or sport ! The puppies are well-blooded no 

 doubt, but I fear at the expense of many a 

 good run later on in the season, as it is more 

 than probable that it is the stoutest of the 

 cubs that are brought to hand, the small and 

 cowardly ones having quickly found safety in 

 some large rabbit burrow, of which there are 

 always many available. When this system is 

 pursued on every occasion, most of the best 

 of the cubs have been brought to book before 

 the regular season commences, and if persisted 

 in year after year, and only the worst left for 

 hunting and stock, can it be a matter of 

 surprise that the breed should deteriorate, as 

 "like breeds like"? Why not, when the hounds 

 have been round the covert once or twice, 

 and a fair idea can be had of how many 

 cubs are on foot, allow all those that wish 

 to break away to do so, and then hold up 

 and kill the laggards and cowards of the lot, 

 and if they get to ground dig them out if 



