to devote to the sport. The farmer who takes down his wire is
naturally displeased with a Hunt which favours an individual who keeps
it up; but I think if all Hunt secretaries were like Colonel Henry, such
delinquents would soon be brought to book, for no Master would care to
see with his hounds, a farmer who kept his land wired during the hunting
season. Some of the illustrations of wired fences in this book have been
photographed on the land of so-called "hunting farmers." An even worse
class of man than the double-dealing farmer is the wealthy landowner who
preserves his coverts, shoots foxes, lets his shooting at a big profit,
and then goes off to hunt in some fashionable centre, like Melton
Mowbray. In Leicestershire he would be regarded as a hunting man, while
in his own district he is known as a vulpicide, for Reynard is seldom,
if ever, found in his coverts. One has only to live in the country, and
pretend indifference about fox-hunting, to see the tricks which some
farmers perform in order to prevent people from riding over their land.
I remember in the North Cheshire country a big covert, which was always
considered a certain find, being drawn blank, much to the huntsman's
surprise. As he called off his hounds, after a thorough investigation, a
farmer said, with a smile: "I knew they wouldn't find a fox here, for
Mr. ----'s foxhound puppy, which he is walking, has been rummaging
about this covert all morning!" It appears that Mr. Blank was a farmer
whose land adjoined the said covert, and who had found his foxhound
puppy more useful in driving away foxes than his sheepdogs.

Instead of doling out compensation to farmers as a form of charity, it
would be much better for our hunting authorities to meet them on a level
footing, get them to appoint a committee of their own, and pay that
official body, every year, a certain proportion of the hunt
subscriptions, to be applied according to the wishes of the Farmers'
Committee.

PILOTS.

I have not enlarged on the subject of hunting pilotage, because, truth
to tell, I have never indulged in the luxury of a pilot, as I have
preferred to know the capabilities of my mount and to see and act for
myself. I believe that any woman who can ride and manage her horse with
intelligent forethought, has no more need of a paid pilot than has the
small boy who takes his chance on his pony. If a lady has no male
companion to remain with her during the day's hunting, she should