e sure to observe her first Doubling, which must
be your direction for all that day; for all her other after Doublings,
will be like that. When she is thus reduced to the _slights_ and
_shifts_ she makes by Doublings and Windings, give your Dogs _Time_ and
_Place_ enough to cast about your Rings, for unwinding the same; and
observe her _leaps_ and _skips_ before she squat, and beat curiously all
likely places of Harbour: She is soon your Prey now.
_Of Coney Catching._
Their _Seasons_ are always, and the way of taking them thus: Set
Pursenets on their Holes, and put in a _Ferret_ close muzzled, and she
will boult them out into the Nets: Or blow on a sudden the Drone of a
Bag-Pipe into the Burrows, and they will boult out: Or for want of
either of these two, take Powder of _Orpiment_ and _Brimstone_, and
boult them out with the Smother: But pray use this last seldom, unless
you would destroy your Warren. But for this sport _Hays_ are to be
preferred above all.
_Of Fox-Hunting._
_January_, _February_, and _March_, are the best Seasons for Hunting the
_Fox_ above Ground, the Scent being then strong, and the coldest Weather
for the _Hounds_, and best finding his Earthing. Cast off your sure
Finders first, and as the _Drag_ mends, more; but not too many at once,
because of the Variety of Chaces in Woods and Coverts. The Night before
the Day of Hunting, when the _Fox_ goes to prey at Midnight, find his
Earths, and stop them with Black Thorns and Earth. To find him draw your
_Hounds_ about Groves, Thickets, and Bushes near Villages; Pigs and
Poultry inviting him to such Places to Lurk in. They make their Earths
in hard Clay, stony Grounds, and amongst Roots of Trees; and have but
one Hole straight and long. He is usually taken with _Hounds_,
_Grey-Hounds_, _Terriers_, _Nets_ and _Gins_.
_Of Badger Hunting._
This Creature has several Names, as _Gray Brock_, _Boreson_, or
_Bauson_; and is hunted thus. First go seek the Earths and Burrows where
he lieth, and in a clear Moon-shine Night, stop all the Holes but one or
two, and in these fasten Sacks with drawing Strings; and being thus set,
cast off your _Hounds_, and beat all the Groves, Hedges, and Tuffs
within a mile or two about, and being alarm'd by the Dogs they will
repair to their Burrows and Kennels, and running into the Bags, are
taken.
_Of the Martern or wild Cat._
These two Chases are usually hunted in _England_, and are as great
Infesters of Wa
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