154 HUNTING. 



sary ; though it will generally be found that not much damage 

 has been done. A hunting farmer of my acquaintance once told 

 me he never went over any part of his farm across which the 

 hounds had run for at least ten days after their visit, and that 

 then, beyond gaps in his fences, he found hardly any marks. 

 Every man has a right to object to his land being ridden over, 

 and when he does so, must be treated as a man who is within 

 his rights. To those who do not hunt themselves, and yet 

 welcome the hounds, all hunting men are deeply indebted ; 

 they are indeed generous and unselfish specimens of humanity. 

 To those who hunt we are also indebted, but as they partici- 

 pate in the sport, and ride over other people's lands, it is in a 

 less degree. I remember a tenant of Lady Holland's at Foxley, 

 in North Wilts, a gentleman of the name of Baker, once open- 

 ing the gate of one of his own fields — forty acres of wheat — 

 in the month of Februar)', when we were going to draw his 

 gorse covert, which he had asked us to make on his farm, and say- 

 ing, ' This is the best way ! ' There were three hundred horsemen 

 at least, and I remonstrated and suggested going a field farther 

 on — 'Bless you, it will do it good!' he said ; and rode first into it. 

 There are many such, I am happy to say, but when it is otherwise, 

 it is good policy to keep them friendly, to listen to their com- 

 plaints, and recompense them if they want it. As regards foxes 

 killing lambs, there is a great deal of nonsense talked and of 

 misconception about it. That a fox will undoubtedly kill one, 

 if it is very weak, or sometimes, when a ewe has two, will nip 

 up one whilst she is defending the other, is a fact ; but it is 

 only when they are very small. The ewe is quite capable of 

 defending her lamb. One man declared to me that the foxes 

 came in troops and attacked his fold, which of course is ridicu- 

 lous, as foxes seek their prey ' single-handed,' and do not hunt 

 in troops like wolves. He said he could prove it, and laid 

 a dead lamb down. When it stank, of course foxes passing 

 winded it, and he found three foxes fighting over it. In almost 

 every case where a fox is found eating a lamb, it has been 

 killed by a dog, and generally by a sheep dog ; more often 



