56 COVERT-SIDE SKETCHES. 



man who took him to London to inquire whether the fox 

 hunted on such a day was killed or escaped ; the latter 

 having been the case, the suspicion of the keepers was 

 strengthened. Some time after a fox was again caught in the 

 same coppice, which those concerned in the taking were well 

 assured was the fox they had twice bagged before ; to be, how- 

 ever, perfectly able to identify their old acquaintance, should 

 another opportunity offer, previous to his third journey to town 

 he had one ear slit and some holes punched through the other. 

 With these marks he was despatched to London, was again 

 hunted and escaped, and within a very few weeks was retaken 

 in the same coppice, when his marks justified the keepers' con- 

 jectures, in spite of the improbability of the fact." Sad to say, 

 he verified the proverb of the pitcher that goes often to the 

 well ; this was his last journey, as he was killed and eaten after 

 a severe chase. 



That they are in much fear while being hunted I do not 

 believe, unless hounds are pressing them exceedingly hard, and 

 the following instances will tend to show that they cannot run 

 in any great terror. " Scrutator," an old M.F.H. himself, says, 

 in " Horses and Hounds : " — 



" We were at last brought to in a piece of turnips not far 

 from a sheep-fold, where the hounds for a moment or two threw 

 up. Observing a shepherd at a short distance, I despatched the 

 whipper-in to know whether he had seen the fox, and what had 

 happened, in the meantime allowing the hounds to have their 

 own way. Something I could see was amiss. The whipper-in 

 galloped back, and told me the shepherd had seen the fox, 

 which had come very near to whei-e he was with a rabbit in his 

 mouth. 'A rabbit in his mouth, Jim? nonsense !' *'Tis true 

 enough, sir; the shepherd showed me the rabbit which he 

 took away from him.' ' We will hear more of this presently. 

 Which way went the fox?' * Forward, sir.' The check was ex- 

 plained, and, holding the hounds about a hundred yards in 

 advance, they settled down again to the scent, and dashed 



