17-t THE DLAJRY OF A HUXTS:\L\X 



go once round to every doubtful litter, as early as 

 they possibly can for the com, — and even before it 

 is cut, if a whipper-hi by standing on that side can 

 keep them back out of the com. Few men are 

 half sufficiently aware of the great necessity of 

 moving foxes that are known of. by a day's cub- 

 hunting. They are not easily found by fox-takers 

 afterwards, or by keepers, for they beat out from 

 home after they have travelled a httle in conse- 

 quence of being disturbed, etc. 



It is necessary in the hot weather in September 

 to go out cub-hunting as soon as it is hght, and if 

 it can be over by eight or nine o'clock so much the 

 better. By way of change the ^mter has tried it 

 in the aftemoon instead, lea\'ing the kennel 

 probably at four o'clock, and commencing about 

 five or six in the evening, which makes it a more 

 agreeable job than getting up in the middle of 

 the night. The cubs are by that time moving, 

 and soon found ; and the longer you run the 

 cooler it is, instead of getting broiled ^nth heat 

 at nine or ten in the morning. The result was, 

 the cubs took more time to kill than in the 

 morning ; probably owing to their being more fit 

 to run, being lighter. But the later it was, the 

 cooler it was also ; and, consequently, the hounds 



