190 RULES TO BE OBSERVED 



as a fox seldom suffers hounds to run up to him 

 as long as he is able to prevent it, so nine times 

 out of ten, when foxes are hallooed early in the 

 day, they are all fresh foxes. The hounds most 

 likely to be right are the hard-running line- 

 hunting hounds, or such as the huntsman knows 

 had the lead before there arose ally doubt of 

 changing. With regard to the fox, if he breaks 

 over an open country, it is no sign that he is 

 hard run ; for they seldom at any time will do 

 that, unless they are a great way before the 

 hounds : also, if he runs up the wind — they sel- 

 dom ever do that when they have been long 

 hunted, and grow weak ; and when they run 

 their foil, that also may direct him. All this, 

 as you must needs perceive, requires a good 

 ear, and nice observation ; and, indeed, in that 

 consists the chief excellence of a huntsman. 



When the hounds divide and are in two parts, 

 the whipper-in, in stopping, must attend to the 

 huntsman, and wait for his halloo, before he at- 

 tempts to stop either: for want of proper ma- 

 nagement in this particular, I have known the 

 hounds stopped at both places, and both foxes 

 lost by it. If they have many scents, and it is 

 quite uncertain which is the hunted fox, let him 

 stop those that are farthest down the wind, as 



