THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING. 259 



sides of hills, and in small bushes, where huntsmen never 

 think of looking for them j yet, when they hear a hound, 

 they generally shift their quarters, and make for closer co- 

 vers. Gentlemen should take this necessary part of fox- 

 hunting on themselves ; for the whipper-in has other busi- 

 ness to attend to*. 



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 best of his way ; and he frequently will 

 set off a long while before you. This may be prevented, 

 by throwing your hounds into that part of the cover in 

 which he is most likely to kennel : for want of this pre- 

 caution, a fox sometimes gets so far the start of hounds, 

 that they are not able to do any thing with him after* 

 wards. Also, when hounds first touch on a drag, some 

 huntsmen are so careless, that, while they are going on 

 with it the wrong way themselves, a single hound finds- 

 the fox, and is not caught any more by the pack, till he 

 has lost him again. 



* Upon these occasions, when you see two gentlemen togct/jer, yoa 

 may reasonably conclude, that one of thcin, at least, knows nothing of the 

 jnatter, 



M m 



