SCIENCE OF FOXHUNTING. 237 



that when the hounds stop and bay at the mouth 

 of an earth, the fox is within. 



Foxes, when heated in the chase, will sometimes 

 enter an earth, and finding the want of air, quit 

 again immediately, or linger about it for a moment 

 or two, and then resume their course ; the best plan 

 is to hold the hounds round the earth at once, to 

 see if they can hit the scent beyond, and when a 

 check occurs at farm-buildings to make a regular 

 cast round them, before commencing a search into 

 all the nooks and corners generally found in such 

 places. It is almost hopeless work attempting to 

 dig a fox out of a large head of earths, and the loss 

 of time when feasible must be taken into considera- 

 tion ; unless after a long run and some distance from 

 home, with hounds short of blood, it is best to leave 

 him alone in his glory, and draw for another. 

 Hounds flushed with every-day victories do not 

 care to stand about an earth for half an hour or 

 more, waiting for their victim ; they would prefer 

 finding another, and so would the majority of their 

 attendants. Want of blood is not a very common 

 complaint in these days, when foxes come too easily 

 to hand. 



Whilst writing about running to ground, a 

 singular instance of sagacity displayed by an old 

 hound, named Pilgrim, occurs to our recollection. 

 It was our practice never to draft or destroy a 

 favourite hound which had done good service during 

 the best portion of his life ; and when unable to run 

 up with the pack, he was permitted to run about 

 the premises, having a small lodging-house appro- 



