310 THE SPORT OF KINGS 



of the month of March been passed than hounds 

 all over the country meet at a later hour — 10.30 

 becomes 1 1, or 1 1.30 and 1 1 become 12, and given 

 a quarter of an hour for stragglers — and whatever 

 hour hounds meet there are always stragglers — it 

 is well on to half-past twelve before the day's work 

 may be said to be really started. Generally, then, 

 even over the hills and moorlands, where alone 

 April hunting can be seen in perfection, the day's 

 sport commences under not very favourable cir- 

 cumstances. There is frequently a hot sun to 

 contend with, and especially is this the case after 

 a sharp white frost. Then the wind at the time 

 of day when hounds are commencing operations 

 in these easy-going times is apt to be troublesome, 

 and sun and wind combined affect scent prejudici- 

 ally, even on those breezy uplands where scent 

 lies so well as a rule in the spring months. For I 

 have a theory, and it is only a theory, and I do 

 not see how it is capable of absolute proof, that 

 the moors carry a better scent in September and 

 April than they do in any other months of the 

 year. At any rate, it is pleasanter riding over 

 them ; the bogs are not quite so boggy as in mid- 

 winter, and many a place which is scarcely passable 

 when the season is at its height rides well enough 

 now. Horses are also in condition, and they 

 require to be in condition to carry a man in the 

 wake of hounds when they cross a moor with a 

 burning scent with a stout hill fox in front of 

 them. 



Under the present conditions of April hunting, 

 especially when there exists a good deal of sun 

 and wind, one generally has to wait for the 

 westering sun for the best sport. Then about 



