A BLANK DAY 213 



numerous of late years, and they have been numer- 

 ous in countries that have been well preserved, and 

 that are well preserved. For there can be no 

 greater mistake than to suppose that because foxes 

 are not found, therefore vulpicidism exists, a con- 

 clusion to which the tyro very frequently jumps 

 without a jot of evidence. When blank days, or 

 what are as good as blank days, have been of 

 frequent occurrence — I can call to mind at least 

 four within a week — the weather has often been 

 very wild, and scent has been so bad that when 

 foxes were found hounds could not run them. 

 Heavy rains and violent winds have prevailed, and 

 under these circumstances it is quite possible the 

 best drawers might miss a fox in thick covert. 

 But the main cause of the blank days is un- 

 doubtedly the scarcity of foxes. Where the latter 

 are plentiful a large tract of country is rarely 

 drawn without finding sooner or later in the day. 

 But it is well known that in many counties in 

 England, mange has prevailed for the last three or 

 four years to a greater or less extent. The fell 

 disease seems to recur in cycles, for forty years 

 ago it was very severe in many parts of the north. 

 Of course there is only one course to pursue where 

 it prevails, and that is to destroy all the mangy 

 foxes and break up their earths. This has been 

 systematically done in some hunts, with the result 

 that though, as I have indicated, foxes are now 

 scarce, what foxes there are are clean. From this 

 fact hunting men may take heart. Once let the 

 disease be gone and there is no difficulty in getting 

 up a good stock of foxes, and in a very short time 

 there is every reason to hope that in many countries 

 at least, a blank day will again become unknown. 



