HUNTING DIRECTORY. 197 



Change of Country injurious to Hounds. 



beyond the scent ; while the steam, issuing in vokimes 

 from the horses, mixed with the hounds, must be highly 

 prejudicial to the sport. 



If covers are much disturbed, foxes will be in a state 

 of alarm, and will break as soon as they hear a hound, 

 and sometimes before. Such foxes seldom return ; and 

 if you can get well away with one, a good run will most 

 likely follow. On such occasions a whipper-in should be 

 posted to halloo one away, upon which the hoimds 

 should be immediately laid. 



Hounds should be as little used to change of country 

 as possible. Should they change from a good scenting 

 country to a bad one, they will most likely be some time 

 without killing a fox. Hounds have a decided advantage 

 in a country with which they are familiar : they know 

 where to find their game ; and they will pursue more 

 eagerly when it is found. 



Beckford says, " no good country should be hunted 

 after February ; nor should there be any hunting at all 

 after March. Spring hunting is sad destruction of foxes : 

 in one week you may destroy as many as would have 

 shewn you sport during a whole season. We killed a 

 bitch fox one morning, with seven young ones, which 

 were all alive : I can assure you we missed them very 

 much the next year, and had many blank days, which 

 we need not have had, but through our own fault. If 

 you should hunt late in the season, you should at least 

 leave your terriers behind you." Fox-hunting, however, 

 is seldom given up till the middle or latter end of Ajn-il, 

 and in some places it is customary to kill a May fox. 

 With regard to the bitch fox just mentioned, had she 



