198 HUNTING DIRECTORY. 



Injurious Consequences of late Hunting. 



been killed at an early period of the season, it would have 

 produced precisely the same effect, though the mischief 

 would have been less obvious. When bitch foxes are 

 heavy (in a state of gestation) they are very ill calculated 

 to stand up before hounds : however, the death of such 

 may, with proper management, be generally avoided. 

 But I am no advocate for late hunting ; nor indeed are 

 hounds able to hunt in hot weather, neither are horses 

 able to follow them. In 1825, the month of April, or at 

 least the greater part of it, was remarkably warm: I 

 recollect, on this occasion, one of the best packs in Eng- 

 land (Sir Harry Mainwaring's) being unable to hunt. I 

 would never have a single fox unnecessarily destroyed. 

 Huntsmen are anxious for a great display of foxes' 

 heads — to kill so many brace — but they should never be 

 suffered to commit miu'der. 



" I told you, (says Beckford) I believe, at the begin- 

 ning of our correspondence, that I disliked bag foxes ; 

 I shall now tell you what my objections to them are : — 

 the scent of them is different from that of other foxes : 

 it is too good, and makes hounds idle ; besides, in the 

 manner in which they are generally turned out, it makes 

 hounds very wild. They seldom fail to know what you 

 are going about before you begin, and if often used to hunt 

 bag foxes, will become riotous enough to run any thing. 

 A fox that has been confined long in a small place, and 

 carried out afterwards many miles perhaps, in a sack, 

 his own ordure hanging about him, must needs stink 

 extravagantly. You are also to add to this account, 

 that he most probably is weakened for want of his natural 

 food and usual exercise ; his spirit broken by despair. 



