208 HORSES AND HOUNDS. 



feather : what, then, must their effect be upon those which are 

 already dispirited ? ^lake as short days, and as short work with 

 the foxes, as you possibly can, and leave off when successful. 

 Your hounds will then soon recover themselves, and repay you 

 for your indulgence. 



Some countries are much more difficult to catch foxes in 

 than others, and a great deal depends upon how the country is 

 hunted. A large country, which is not regularly hunted, is 

 much more easy to kill foxes in than one regularly hunted. 

 Foxes which are not disturbed oftener perhaps than once a 

 month become, of course, fat and out of condition, and fall an 

 easy prey to a pack of hounds in good heart and wind. The 

 number of foxes' noses on the kennel door is no criterion 

 of sport. 



I was once asked to take my hounds into a country which 

 had been lying idle for some time, and what was the result f 

 that we killed every fox we found : but as for sport, we might as 

 well have been rabbit-hunting with beagles. Foxes, to show 

 sport, should be kept moving. Masters of hounds seldom com- 

 plain of too many foxes — it is a fault on the right side, and 

 soon remedied ; but it requires. great attention and care on the 

 part of the huntsman and whipper-in to prevent their hounds 

 changing, which will invariably be the case where game is plen- 

 tiful. A hunted fox and a blown deer are two distinct animals 

 as to their scent at that particular period. The first diminishes 

 as the other increases in the chase. Although foxes in the same 

 country very much resemble each other, there are not two 

 exactly alike, and this, as well as other appearances which dis- 

 tinguish the hunted fox, will direct in some measure both 

 huntsman and whipper-in. Where foxes are too numerous, by 

 hunting the same covert once a week they will soon disperse, or 

 you may have the eartlis jnit to in the morning, instead of being 

 stopped over-night. When I have had several foxes on foot in 

 the same covert, I have also opened the earths, to let some of 

 them in. It is better, I think, to do this, than rattle a favourite 

 place too often ; for, unless centrally situated, your foxes may 

 be driven away into another country, or by seeking shelter in 

 hedgerows, be killed by shooters or coursers. 



No animal is more shy tlian a fox ; he soon shifts his quar- 

 ters when disturbed, and although he may visit the same covert 

 in tlie night from which he has been driven by hounds, he will 

 not lie there during tlie day for some time to come. Old foxes, 

 in particular, are difficult to find when the regular hunting 

 season commences. 



I remember having a most severe run with a good old fox, 



