HUNTING THE FOX 35 



them such services as they cannot perform for 

 themselves, and never to interfere with them for 

 any other purpose. Hence, roughly speaking, the 

 two dominant ideas of the Huntsman should be 

 to bring his Hounds into the Field in tiptop condi- 

 tion, and having got them away close to their 

 Fox, not to go near them when they lose the scent, 

 until they obviously feel the want of him, or unless 

 he can give them some definite piece of information 

 which they cannot obtain for themselves. Even 

 this must be done with great judgement and skill 

 if the doing of it involves the dangerous expedient 

 of getting their heads up. 



Condition is the key to success. If the question 

 were asked, " What shows most sport and kills most 

 Foxes ? " the magic word " condition " would be 

 a safe answer. A moderate-looking lot of Hounds 

 will catch more Foxes than all the Peterborough 

 winners put together if they are in better condition. 

 Authorities may not quite agree as to the exact 

 methods by which the requisite fitness can best 

 be gained and kept. Some will advocate more 

 summer exercise than others, and every one may 

 not see eye to eye as to the amount of covering 

 there should be on the Hounds' ribs at the beginning 

 of Cub-hunting. The feeding demands primary 

 attention. There is good ground for supporting 

 the rule that the quantity of food should be reduced 

 in the summer rather than the quality. In some 



