THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING. 20^ 



as long as he is able to prevent it, so, nine times out of ten, 

 when foxes are hallooed early in the da)'", they are all fresh 

 foxes. The hounds most likely to be right, are the hard- 

 running line-hunting hounds, or such as the huntsman 

 knows had the lead before there arose any doubt of chang- 

 ing. — With regard to the fox, if he break over an open 

 country, it is no sign that he is hard-run j for they seldom 

 at any time will do that, unless they be a great way before 

 , the hounds ; also, if he run up the wind ; as they seldom or 

 (' iever do that when they have been long hunted and grow weak ; 

 and when they run their foil, fbaS also may diredl him. All 

 this, as you will perceive, requires a good ear and nice ob- 

 servation ; and, indeed, in that consists the chief excel- 

 lence of a huntsman. 



When the hounds divide and are in two parts, the 

 whipper-in, in stopping, must attend to the huntsman, 

 and wait for his halloo, before he attempts to stop either : 

 for want of proper management in this particular, I have 

 known the hounds stopped at both places, and' both foxes 

 lost by it. If they have many scents, and it is quite un- 

 certain which is the hunted fox, let him stop those that are 

 farthest down the wind, as they can hear the others, and will 



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