HUNTING DIRECTORY. 157 



Fox Huunds should draw. 



him do it — it will have many advantages attending it : 

 he will draw the same covers in half the time ; there will 

 be less difficulty in getting the hounds off; and as the 

 fox will most probably run the covers that have already 

 been drawn, you are certain not to change. 



"Judicious huntsmen will observe where foxes like 

 best to lie. Generally speaking, I think they are fondest of 

 such covers as lie high, and are dry and thick at bottom ; 

 such also as lie out of the wind ; and such as are on the 

 sunny side of hills. The same cover where you find one 

 fox, when it has remained quiet any time, will probably 

 produce another. 



" It is to little purpose to draw hazle coppices at the 

 time when nuts are gathered ; furze covers, or two or 

 three years coppices, are then the only quiet places a 

 fox can kennel in : they also are disturbed when pheasant 

 shooting begins, and older covers are more likely. The 

 season when foxes are most wild and strong is about 

 Christmas ; a huntsman then must lose no time in drawing 

 — he must draw up the wind, unless the cover be very 

 large, in which case it may be better perhaps to cross it, 

 giving the hounds a side wind, lest he should be obliged 

 to turn down the wind at last : in either case, let him 

 draw as quietly as he can. 



" Young coppices, at this time, are quite bare : the 

 most likely places are four or five years coppices, and 

 such as are furzy at bottom. 



" Some huntsmen draw too quick — some too slow. 

 The time of the day, the behaviovu- of his hounds, and 

 the covers they are drawing, will direct an observing 

 huntsman in the pace which he ought to go. 



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