HUNTSMAN 147 



great difference of opinion whether, if your hounds 

 are running a fox, or more than one, and another is 

 viewed away fi'om the cover, you should get your 

 hounds off the fox they are running and take the 

 flyer ; or stick to the one they are running. If 

 sport is the object, decidedly the flyer is the fox to 

 give it. Another reason for adopting this plan is 

 that, after the season begins, the field have a right 

 to expect sport. But if it is necessary to rattle 

 covers, and stay in them for the purpose of 

 making all the foxes fly, it should be done before 

 regular hunting begins, or have a by-day for it now 

 and then ; otherwise, a whole season may pass 

 without a run from this cover, for there are foxes 

 that never will break cover. Of course, if no fox 

 goes away, these must be killed if you can. But 

 such covers as these generally do hold a stranger 

 that has probably been hunted so much in his 

 native covers that he is on a quiet visit only, and 

 goes home at the first notice when he hears the 

 huntsman's voice. After the first of February it 

 should be a rule to get away with the first fox, as 

 you may otherwise get on a vixen ; indeed most of 

 the good runs are from large covers, and generally 

 with a dog fox. 



The wi'iter not long since met the pack belong- 



