80 THE NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE HOUNDS. 



founded complaint against either landowners or game- 

 keepers on this score. In this connection one is reminded 

 of a good old story of "Jem" Hills, the well-known old 

 huntsman of the Heythrop, sometime in the fifties or 

 early sixties. He had to draw some coverts where the 

 keeper was strongly suspected of foul play with foxes, and 

 drew them blank as usual. As he was blowing his hounds 

 out of the last covert, the keeper came up with — 



" Morning, Mr. Hills. 'Twas a rough night ; I'm afraid 

 our foxes are all underground." 



" Be they ? " said the old huntsman. " Who put 'em 

 there ? " and trotted off with a grim smile, feeling that he 

 had not only had the last word, but that his Parthian 

 arrow had hit the bull's-eye. 



The poultry and covert fund business is an important 

 department in any Hunt, and in the North Stafford Hunt 

 we have reason to think it is as well managed as anywhere. 

 The Committee is a representative one, comprising residents 

 in almost every part of the hunting area, and a large 

 number of leading farmers. Twice in each year the 

 meetings of the Committee are held at the Stoke Hotel 

 in October and March or April, and the sum now paid to the 

 hon. secretary, Mr. K. N. Wood (from £400 to £450), is 

 almost entirely spent in satisfying or endeavouring to 

 satisfy farmers for the loss of poultry, some little being 

 used to pay the rent of gorse coverts, but the finds and 

 earth-stopping, and the rents of many large coverts, are 

 paid by the Duke. It is only at such meetings that one 

 item of the difficulties of hunting a country comes 

 prominently forward. Large committees like this relieve 

 a Master of Hounds of great responsibility, as he knows 

 that all just and honest claims will have every atten- 

 tion. But, after all said and done, much is put down 

 to the poor fox which he has not had his teeth into, for 

 there are such things as foxes with two legs, also sheep- 

 dogs and mongrels of all kinds that worry sheep, eat 

 lambs, and make off with poultry. The fox, in truth, has 

 many enemies besides a pack of hounds. With regard to 



