A June Festivity 



also be remembered that the footprints of a 

 badger are not often looked for. 



June is perhaps par excellence the month 

 when keepers are most to the fore in a Hunt. 

 They are called into consultation about the 

 moving of litters, as we have already seen. They 

 are consulted about the situation of new coverts 

 and new fox drains ; and in most countries June 

 is the month of the Keepers' dinner. 



The latter is an important function indeed — 

 one which takes rank with any social function 

 immediately connected with the Hunt Polity. 



From far and wide come the keepers in early 

 morning, and each man is interviewed privately 

 by the Master or the huntsman, or both. He 

 brings in his report of the litters there are on 

 the estate he looks after; tells the huntsman 

 which litters the vixens have moved, and if pos- 

 sible, which it frequently is, where they have 

 moved them to. This part of the business 

 finished, he produces from his pocket a slip of 

 paper on which is put down the number of finds 

 which have taken place on his beats during the 



past season. This is compared with the hunts- 



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