BEAGLES AND BEAGLING 287 



might have prevented mischief. There are, as a 

 matter of fact, however, very few occasions, indeed, 

 where the followers of beagles cannot keep their pack 

 in hand. Where it is especially necessary that a 

 woodland shall not be disturbed — just before a big 

 shoot, for instance — a Master of beagles can usually 

 so arrange his meets as to keep well away from the 

 spot ; or, if he meets in the neighbourhood, he can 

 draw in the opposite direction and station some one 

 near the covert to turn the hare, if it be possible, or 

 whip off hounds. 



In the case of both harriers and beagles, it is not 

 not only desirable but necessary that Masters of fox- 

 hound packs in the district over which it is proposed 

 to hunt shall be duly consulted before any arrange- 

 ments are made for bringing hare-hounds into the 

 field. Foxhounds are to be conceded the right of 

 priority ; theirs is the more important branch of the 

 sport ; and they usually have vested interests, as it 

 were, which are not lightly to be set aside. In the 

 case of harriers, these are often as long established 

 as are foxhounds — in some cases considerably longer 

 — and the arrangements as to the hunting of the country 

 have, therefore, been long since settled. But where 

 a new pack of harriers or beagles is sought to be estab- 

 lished, it ought always to be borne in mind that, in 

 addition to securing the support and consent of the 

 farmers and land-owners of the country over which 

 it is proposed to hunt, an arrangement should be made 

 with the Master of foxhounds hunting the district. It 

 may not be — nay, it is not — absolutely the right of 

 the Master of foxhounds to insist on this; in fact, 

 with the consent of the tenant and owners, the Master 

 of beagles and harriers can hunt where he pleases. 

 But it is an unwritten law, and as a matter of courtesy, 



