VARIOUS CLASSES OF HUNTING. 41.3 



opinion was founded on the celebrated case Grundy 

 v. Feltham (1, Term. Beports, p. 884) ; but in that 

 of Earl of Essex v. Capel, Summer Assizes^ 1809, 

 the legality of hunting foxes over the land of an- 

 other is rendered very questionable. This being 

 the case, it is a great compliment to the sport, as 

 no doubt injury of land to a certain amount, though 

 small, is occasioned by it, that it is permitted to 

 the extent to which we see it, in every county in 

 Great Britain ; and that an action of trespass is an 

 unusual occurrence, must be considered as still 

 more creditable to the yeomanry and tenantry who 

 live by the occupation of land. On the other hand, 

 however, it must be remembered, that the produce 

 of land is very considerably enhanced by the great 

 demand, as well as extra prices given, for hay, corn, 

 and straw, as likewise by the encouragement to 

 breeding horses ; and that, wherever there is a 

 colony of fox-hunters, it is accompanied by a great 

 influx of money, which is expended in the imme- 

 diate neighbourhood. In that of Melton Mowbray, 

 6^100,000 annually is the computed amount. 



There were formerly three established classes of 

 hunting in Great Britain, each of which had advo- 

 cates, as it may have been suitable to situation, 

 fortune, time of life, &c. ; and although the strug- 

 gle for superiority has ended in favour of that of 

 the fox, we 'have reason to believe, that since what 

 are termed '^ packs of hounds'''' have been establish- 

 ed, hunting the stag or buck claims precedence of 

 the hare ; the hare of the fox ; the otter, perhaps, 



