304 HUNTING DIRECTORY. 



Trifling Injury sustained by 



much worse, he will destroy partridges and pheasants ; 

 he will take these birds not only upon the nest, but will 

 hunt for them, draw and set, something after the manner 

 of a pointer ; with this difference, however, that he sets 

 only a sufficient length of time to ascertain as nearly as 

 possible (by means of his olfactory organs) the situation 

 of his intended victim, in order to spring upon and secure 

 it. He sacrifices leverets too when they fall in his way ; 

 but it very rarely happens that he meddles with lambs. 

 The rabbit is his obvious and perhaps most favourite 

 food; since, where rabbits are in tolerable plenty, the fox 

 rarely gives himself any further trouble : on this account, 

 therefore, it should always be contrived, if possible, to 

 have every hunt sufficiently stocked with rabbits. 



From very considerable inquiry, I can very safely 

 assert, that the injury sustained by farmers in the fox- 

 hunting districts, from the depredations of foxes, does 

 not amount to one pound sterling, annually, each — most 

 likely not to five shillings. But it must be remarked 

 that complaints arise only from those who are not fond 

 of the chase, as a fox-hunting farmer will never suffer a 

 fox to be killed unfairly. Not many months ago, I hap- 

 pened to be walking with Mr. White of the Crown Inn, 

 Nantwich, over a farm in his occupation, not far from 

 the town last mentioned. He remarked that a very fine 

 fox had generally kennelled in some part of it for two 

 years. Upon one occasion renard made free with an old 

 favourite goose, when Mr. White's husbandman ear- 

 nestly inquired if he might not be allowed to destroy 

 him? — Not for all the geese in Christendom was the 

 reply. This was as it should be. 



