SHOULD FIRST BE TRIED. 241 



are thinned and dispersed where they are in 

 plenty, it must be bad policy to drive others 

 there to increase the number. If you would 

 thin your foxes, you must throw off at the same 

 cover as long as you can find a fox. If you 

 come off with the first fox that breaks, you do 

 not disturb the cover, and may expect to find 

 there again the next day ; but where they are 

 scarce, you should never draw the same cover 

 two days following. 



When a fox slinks from his kennel, gets 

 a great way before the hounds, and you are 

 obliged to hunt after him with a bad scent ; if 

 you are in a country where foxes are in plenty, 

 and you know where to find another, you had 

 better do it.* 



While hounds are drawing for a fox, let your 

 people place themselves in such a manner that 

 he cannot go off unseen. I have known them 

 lie in sheep''s scrapes on the side of hills, and 

 in spnall bushes, where huntsmen never think of 

 looking for them ; yet, when they hear a hound, 

 they generally shift their quarters, and make 

 for closer covers. Gentlemen should take this 



* Yet, if this were practised often, it might make the 

 hounds indifferent when upon a cold scent. Hounds 

 should be made to believe they are to kill that game which 

 they are first encouraged to pursue. 

 M 



