226 THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING^. 



view hatloos frequently do more harm than good : they ^e 

 pleasing to sportsmen, but prejudicial to hounds. If a strong> 

 cover be full of foxes, and they be often halioo'd, hounds 

 seldom take much pains in hunting them : — hence arises 

 that indifference which sometimes is to be perceived in fox- 

 hounds while pursuing their game. 



You ask me. If I would take off my hounds to a halloo ? 

 f 

 If they be running with a good scent, I most certainly would 



I not ; if otherwise, and I coukl depend upon the halloo, in 



I some cases I would ; — for instance, when the fox is a great 



way before them, or persists in running his foil ; for such 



foxes are difficult to kill, unless you endeavour to g€t nearer 



to them by some means or other. — When you hunt after 



them it will frequently happen, that the longer you run,: 



the further you will be behind. 



If hounds be out of blood, and a fox run his foil, 

 you need not scruple to stop the tail hounds, and throw 

 them in at head -, or,, if the cover have any ridings cut 

 in it, and the fox be often seen, your huntsman, by keep- 

 ing some hounds at his horse's heels, at the first halloo- 



