dQZ THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING,' 



When hounds arc in want of blood, and yoif 

 get a fox into a fmall cover, it mull be your own 

 fault, if you do not kill him there : place your 

 people properly, and he cannot get off again. 

 You will hear, perhaps, that it is impoffible to 

 head back a fox. No animal is fo fhy, confc- 

 quently, no animal is fo eafily headed back by 

 ihofe who underftand it. When it is your inten- 

 tion to check a fox, your people mud keep at a 

 little dirtance from the cover lide, nor fhould 

 they be fparing of their voices ; for, lince you 

 cannot keep him in, if he be determined to come 

 out, prevent him, if you can, from being fo in- 

 clined. All kind of mobbing is allowable, when 

 hounds arc out of blood ;* and you may keep 

 the fox in cover, or let him out, as you think 

 the hounds will manage him heft, 



Thoufih I am fo great an advocate for blood as 

 to judge it ncceffary to a pack of fox-hounds, 

 yet I by no means approve of it, fo far as it is 

 Ibmetimes carried. I have known three young 

 foxes chopped in a furze-brake in one day, with- 

 out any fport ; a wanton deftru6iion of foxes 

 fcarcely anfvvering the purpofe of blood, iince 

 that blood does hounds mofl good which is moft 

 dearly earned. Such fportfmen richly deferve 



♦ Yet how many foxes owe their lives to the too great eager* 

 nefs of tlieir purfuers. 



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