358 THE SPORT OF KINGS 



every particular about his size, shape, and colour 

 is of importance. 



When the huntsman has these facts before him 

 he will be able to form an opinion with some 

 degree of certainty as to whether it is his run fox 

 or not. It should be borne in mind that it is 

 quite possible under the circumstances to which I 

 have alluded for there to be two or three foxes on 

 foot, and if all of them were holloaed at, nothing 

 but confusion would ensue. 



Many a fox owes his life to the enthusiasm of 

 some excited follower of the chase. When a fox 

 is beaten the greatest care should be taken not to 

 holloa at him. It sharpens him up at a critical 

 period in the run, to begin with ; he makes a final 

 effort, the holloa gets hounds' heads up, and he is 

 probably left behind. One golden rule there is 

 which should never be broken — never holloa at a 

 fox when he is laid down. Silent telegraphy is the 

 only policy to adopt under such circumstances. 



I always think that one of the charms of early 

 cub-hunting is the absence of holloaing and the 

 quietness which characterises it, for in a well- 

 regulated establishment there is no wild holloaing 

 whenever a fox is viewed over a ride, simply a 

 "tally-ho, over," to tell that he has gone. 



It is curious how some people delight in holloa- 

 ing at the top of their voices, and the discordant 

 yells with which a fox who shows himself outside 

 a covert is so frequently greeted must make his 

 heart quake, and must be a source of deep vexa- 

 tion to the huntsman. 



Now, if that worthy is a noisy man himself, he 

 cannot well blame his field for copying his bad 

 example. I know a huntsman who is really never 



