SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 157 



are within reach of his lash, when emerging into 

 shorter stuff, then he will pounce instantly upon 

 them, with a blow first and a rate afterwards. It 

 is not unlikely on this occasion that a little irrita- 

 bility of temper may be exhibited, which we regard 

 as being very natural, provided the lash does fall 

 upon the real culprit. A whipper-in has no right 

 whatever to strike a hound in the presence of the 

 huntsman, to whom he flies, as a matter of course, 

 for protection; and if he loses his opportunity of 

 punishing him when caught in the act, he must 

 wait for another. He should also make . himself 

 acquainted with the different dispositions of the 

 hounds, since for one a word of caution or rate 

 will generally prove sufficient, while others may 

 require a severe castigation ; and we have known 

 some from their youth addicted so much to evil 

 practices, that they proved incorrigible. 



That a first whipper-in is placed in a position 

 where he has the opportunity of contributing very 

 greatly to the sport of the day, admits of no doubt, 

 but at the same time he must never attempt to take 

 hold of the hounds so long as the huntsman is pre- 

 sent ; and we decidedly object to his helping to hunt 

 them in covert a loose practice encouraged by some 

 huntsmen. Such interference should not be per- 

 mitted on the contrary, his voice should never be 

 heard except in rating or turning straggling hounds 

 to the pack, or in a view-halloa when the fox has 

 broken covert. In short, his place is to be forward 

 outside the covert, the second whipper-in being in 



