THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING. 237 



covers. — Gentlemen jfhould lake this neceflary 

 part of fox-hunting on themfelves, for the whip- 

 per-in has other buHnefs to attend on.* 



I approve not of long drags In large covers ; 

 they give too great an advantage to the fox, they 

 give him a hint to make the befl of his way, and 

 he frequently will fet off a long while before you. 

 This may be prevented by throwing your hounds 

 into that part of the cover, in which he is mofl 

 likely to kennel : for want of this precaution, a 

 fox fometimes gets fo far the flart of hounds, that 

 they are not able to do any thing with him after- 

 wards. Alfo, when hounds iirll touch on a drag, 

 fome huntfmen are fo carelefs, that whilfl they 

 are going on with it the wrong way themfelves, a 

 Ungle hound the fox, and is not caught any more 

 by the pack, till he has loft him again. 



Foxes are faid to go down the wind to their 

 kennel ; but, I believe, they do not always obferve 

 that rule. 



Huntfmen, whilft their hounds, are drawing, or 

 are at a fault, frequently make fo nmch noife them- 

 felves, that they can hear nothing elfc : they 



* Upon thefe occafions, when you fee two gentlemen to- 

 gether^ you may reafonably conclude that one of lUem, at leaft, 

 knows nothing of the matter. 



ihould 



