LANDOWNERS, ETC., AND FOXHUNTING. 65 



foxhound; and though often unable to follow hounds, 

 their coverts are open, and foxes are strictly " left 

 alone." 



It is to these men, who subscribe so liberally in 

 *' kind," and are the mainstay of foxhunting, to 

 whom a master of hounds need never look to in 

 vain for support. His relations with them will 

 always be of the very best, if he wishes to continue 

 hunting the country to his own and his followers' 

 satisfaction. 



There are a few landowners, but few and far 

 between, who do not support their respective hunts, 

 some through hard times, and others who prefer 

 pheasants to foxes, and cannot quite understand 

 the real sportsman's instinct of give and take. 



Perhaps their coverts may not be open to hounds 

 till January, and hounds may have to be stopped on 

 several occasions, which is most annoying to a 

 master. Yet it can do no good to set their wishes 

 at defiance ; far better to do all in your power 

 to show them that you respect their wishes, and in 

 time courtesy and tact will often work wonders. 

 Above all things, let not the man who owns no land, 

 but subscribes his ;^20 a year and hunts three or 

 four days a week, think that he is doing one 

 hundredth part in the cause of foxhunting of the 

 man who owns the coverts and land to ride over. 

 The former gets excellent value for his money, 

 whereas the landowner may have only been our 



