288 BLOOD ALSO NECESSARY 



extent to which it is sometimes carried. I 

 have known three young foxes chopped in a 

 furze-brake in one day, without any sport ; a 

 wanton destruction of foxes scarcely answering 

 the purpose of blood, since that blood does 

 hounds most good, that is most dearly earned. 

 Such sportsmen richly deserve blank days ; 

 and, without doubt, they often meet with them. 

 Mobbing a fox, indeed, is only allowable when 

 hounds are not likely to be a match for him 

 without it. One would almost be inclined to 

 think blood as necessary to the men as to the 

 hounds, since the best chase is flat unless you 

 kill the fox. When you ask a fox-hunter what 

 sport he has had, and he replies it was good ; I 

 think the next question generally is. Did your 

 hounds kill? If he says they did not^ the con- 

 versation ends ; but if, on the coutraiy, he tells 

 you that they did, you then ask a hundred 

 questions, and seldom are satisfied till he has 

 told you every particular of the chase. 



When there is snow on the ground, foxes 

 will lie at earth.* Should your hounds be in 



* Earths should be watched when there is snow upon the 

 ground ; for foxes then will lie at earth. Those who are 

 inclined to destroy them can track them in, and may di^ 

 them out. 



