INTRODUCTION 73 



day was everf -worse. I again declined. My young 

 friend took my place, and got two more. 



Allowing that a thick mist makes stalking impos- 

 sible, the same applies to grouse-shooting in both its 

 forms, while it certainly cannot be said that a wet 

 windy day is favourable to that pursuit. Nor can it 

 be alleged that the number of hopelessly misty days 

 during the stalking season is equal to the number of 

 days of actual frost when hounds do not attempt 

 to go out, and the fox-hunter's stud of horses are 

 kept idle in their stalls. As regards fishing, how 

 often does it happen that a high rent is paid for a bit 

 of first-class water, for a month say, and the unfor- 

 tunate lessee at the end of it returns home without 

 having killed one fish, or perhaps even wetted his 

 line if the drought has been continuous ! 



Yet another test that of sociability. Here fox- 

 hunting stands out pre-eminent no other sport can 

 touch it grouse-shooting comes next, and stalking 

 and fishing nowhere. But as a set-off against this 

 advantage the following point must be scored on the 

 other side. Fox-hunting is the only one of the four 

 sports under discussion in which the individual plays 

 absolutely no part at all. Unless he is a master of 

 hounds and hunts them himself, he has no share in 

 the business -would that this was always realised ! 



