HORSES AND HOUXDS. 249 



apparently most friendly to our sport, and invited the hounds 

 to meet at their houses, but secret orders were given to their 

 keepers not to have too many foxes. 



As many may not be aware how these things go on in a fox- 

 hunting country, it may be as well to give some little insight 

 into the practices of keepers. By the end of the hunting season, 

 we knew tolerably well the number of vixen foxes left in the 

 country, and the places they frequented. After the first week 

 in March I never allowed any earths to be stopped at night ; 

 they were only put to in the morning. Old vixens lay down 

 their cubs often about this time, and if stopi)ed out a whole 

 night and day, the whole litter would perish. The vixen, it is 

 true, seldom leaves her young at this early period, except for a 

 short time only, and for the purpose of procuring food, but I 

 would never run the risk of her being barred out. Dog foxes in 

 the month of March seldom lie at ground, and I have also often 

 found heavy vixens above ground, when the earths had been left 

 open all night. Foxes, like dogs, are attached to their homes, 

 and a vixen will lay up her cubs in the same place for several 

 successive seasons if fairly dealt with. 



When the hunting season was over, it was Jim's especial 

 business to pay frequent visits to the earths to see that all was 

 fair. He was a man of few words, and there existed between 

 him and the keepers as much real good will as the latter enter- 

 tained for the foxes, although, apparently, they were all on the 

 best terms. Jim knew their tricks, and was a match for them ; 

 they never knew when or where they might find him. He 

 would visit their coverts at all hours of the day jDr night. 

 Leaving his horse at some neighbouring farm-house, he usecl to 

 proceed on foot to the covert of any suspected fox-killer, when 

 he thought the man would be absent, examine the earths to see if 

 any traps had been set, and search the runs as well. Sometimes 

 the keeper would meet with him when so occupied. " Well, 

 Mr. Jim, you seem very fond of paying my woods a visit." 

 " Only look in occasionally to see how the foxes fare ; that's my 

 business you know, LIr. Keeper, and master is very particular in 

 having my reports. He knows every litter of cubs in the 

 country, and that ain't so many that he can afford to lose one." 



In the very difficult country I had to manage, Jim was to me 

 an invaluable servant ; his master s interests and his own were 

 identified, and I did my part also to make him feel perfectly at 

 home in his place. Upon hunting days he always had his 

 dinner in the house, and generally made his appearance in my 

 dining room afterwards, as there were a few little matters to 

 discuss, to which a glass or two of wine was no disagreeable 



