192 HUNTING DIRECTORY. 



Of Fox Hoiincis coining to a Fault. 



if gentlemen, at such a time, ride close upon the hounds, 

 they may drive them miles without any scent ; as fox 

 hounds are seldom inclined to stop whilst horses are 

 close upon them. 



The first moment hoinids come to a fault is a critical 

 one. Gentlemen should then be very attentive. Those 

 who look forward may possibly see the fox ; or the move- 

 ments of crows, magpies, or sheep may afford some 

 tidings of him. A halloo may be heard, and nothing 

 that can give any intelhgence at such a time as this, 

 should be neglected : but caution is requisite in going to 

 a halloo. " The halloo itself must in a great measure 

 direct you ; and though it affords no certain rule, you 

 may frequently guess by it, whether it is to be depended 

 on or not. At the sowing time, when boys are bird 

 keeping, if you are not very much on your guard, their 

 halloo will sometimes deceive you. It is best, when you 

 are in doubt, to send on a whipper-in to know ; the worst 

 then that can befal you is the loss of a little time; 

 whereas, if you gallop away with the hounds to the halloo, 

 and are obliged to return, it is a chance if they try for 

 the scent afterwards : on the other hand, if you are 

 certain of the halloo, and intend going to it, then the 

 sooner you get to it the better. Huntsmen who are slow 

 at getting to a halloo are void of common sense. They 

 frequently commit ailbther fault by being in too great a 

 hurry when they get there. It is hardly credible how 

 much our eagerness is apt, at such a time, to mislead 

 our judgment : for instance, when we get to the halloo, 

 the first questions are naturally enough — Did you see 

 the fox ? — which way did he go ? The man points with 



