THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING. 12g 



will endeavour, as well as I am able, to fupply 

 the deficiency, by conlidering, firft, in what man- 

 jier he fhould draw ; and afterwards, how he 

 fhould cafl his hounds. 



The fixing a day or two beforehand upon the 

 cover in which you intend to hunt, is a great 

 hindrance to fport in fox-hunting. You that 

 have the whole country to yourfelf, and can hunt 

 on either fide of your houfe, as you pleafe, fhould 

 never, (when you can help it) determine on your 

 place of hunting, till you fee what the weather is 

 likely to be.* The moil probable means to have 

 good chaces, is to choofe your country according 

 to the wind. 



It will alfo require fome confideration to place 

 hounds to the greatefl advantage where foxes 

 jeither are in great plenty, or very fcarce. 



Hounds that lie idle, are always out of wind, 

 and are ealily fatigued. The firfl day you go 

 put after a long frofl, you cannot expert much 

 fport ; take therefore, conliderably more than the 

 ufual number of hounds, and throw them into 

 the largcfl cover that you have ; if any foxes be 



* When the fcent lies badly, fmall covers, or thofe in which 

 a fox cannot move unfeen, are moft favourable to hounds. In 

 fuch covers, good fportfmen will kill foxes in almofl a,ny wea? 



Q3 '^n 



