94 Game and Foxes. 



Hunting men, who do not shoot, strongly con- 

 demn the presence of rabbits in a fox-covert, and 

 are able to advance strong arguments in support 

 of their exclusion. Rabbits cannot be prevented 

 burrowing, and, however careful the keeper may 

 be when earth-stopping, hunting men assert that 

 he is certain to leave open burrows large enough 

 to provide refuges for foxes hard pressed by 

 hounds. This is reasonable, but if a covert has 

 proper supervision there should be little risk of 

 sport being spoiled in the way described. Rabbits 

 are also, hunting men say, an invitation for every 

 wandering terrier to hunt through the covert ; but 

 what wandering terrier can refrain from hunting 

 through any covert met with, whether rabbits 

 be present or not ? Rabbits are a means of 

 absorbing the attention of any dogs which do 

 intrude, and the foxes are left in peace. The 

 shooting man is strongly advised to encourage 

 rabbits in his fox-covert, as they will be the means 

 of saving a lot of game from destruction. Old foxes 

 may ignore rabbits as a staple food, but cubs feed 

 thereon for many weeks after the vixen has ceased 

 to provide for them. Without rabbits they wander 

 far and wide, and under such circumstances are 

 certain to discover the whereabouts of the hand- 

 reared pheasants at a very inopportune period. 



