6 THE OLD BERKS HUNT 



** Let the Hounds kill the Fox themselves ; 

 and worry and hare (sic) him as much as they 

 like. Many Hounds will eat him with eager- 

 ness. When he is dead, hang him at the end 

 of a Pikestaff, and holloa in all your hounds to 

 Bay at him ; but reward them not with any- 

 thing belonging to the Fox ; for it is not good ; 

 neither will they eat it." 



In this description we see clearly that fox- 

 hunting was only an occasional sport. It was 

 necessary to cast off " Finders," because the 

 other hounds would be sure to run riot. Here, 

 too, we see the influence of buck hunting. 

 The hounds would not eat the fox, " because 

 it is not good." In the same work we read 

 that " The greatest subtlety a Huntsman need 

 use in the Hunting of the Buck, is to beware 

 of Hunting Counter or Change, because of the 

 plenty of Fallow Deer, which use to come 

 directly on the hounds." Probably this book 

 was a little antiquated when it was written, 

 and was even then based upon the traditions 

 of the past. Bucks can hardly have been very 

 numerous in England in 1697, and foxhunting 

 was even then becoming; a recognised amuse- 

 ment of country gentlemen, though an "Essay 

 on Hunting" published in 1733 treats of hare- 

 hunting alone. 



The typical country gentleman of 171 1 is 



