54 HUNTING. 



The main cause of absence of hounds from ' the roll call ' 

 after hunting is that they have roused a calf, run into it, and 

 regaled themselves on its carcase. If this is of tolerable size 

 it will last the truants three or four days ; and until the last 

 morsel has been devoured they are not to be tempted, even by 

 visions of Arthur's appetising pudding, to return to their kennels. 



The habit of staghounds under these circumstances is pecu- 

 liar. After satisfying their hunger to the full on the carcase 

 they do not, as one would suppose, lie close to it and guard it 

 against plunderers ; but they ' lie up,' generally as much as two 

 or three gunshots away from it. Probably this habit had its 

 origin in a desire to avoid detection ; for, when hounds are 

 surprised during the period of feasting they are particularly 

 shy, and averse to the approach of any human being. 



It will be readily apprehended after what has been said that 

 it would be as fatal to the good conduct of the pack as to 

 sport to bring out more than four or five couples of young 

 hounds at a time, since it would be impossible to keep a larger 

 number with the pack. 



The duties of the whipper-in are very different from those 

 of a whipper-in to foxhounds. The latter has principally to 

 confine himself to the work of preventing riot, assisting the 

 huntsman, verifying halloos, &c., while the former must fre- 

 quently be separated a mile or two from the huntsman. He 

 must take up positions from whence he can see whether the 

 right or the wrong animal is hunted ; and he must frequently 

 maintain communications with the huntsman by means of 

 signals. 



If hounds cross one of the many precipitous ravines to 

 be found in the country he must not cross till he has viewed 

 them away on the other side, for if the deer should soil 

 in the bottom of the ravine, as will probably be the case, or 

 break cover on the opposite side and head back again, he 

 would most probably come back in the teeth of the whipper-in, 

 who would be in a position to ascertain his exact condition, 

 the probable duration of the run, and the point for which he 



