embody the whole code of honour and practice which it becomes a gentleman to obey in the hunting field.
That it is a costly amusement, goes without saying, especially if our Nimrod elects to hunt in one of the fashionable countries where the pace necessitates a large stud of horses, but there are still packs in existence which make more modest demands upon the purse, and perhaps show better hound work, even if fewer foxes are killed. The old trencher-fed packs, which provided sport at a minimum of expense, are, alas, disappearing, very few now being found in any part of the country. They had the advantage of interesting the farmers and small local men to an extent that is out of the question with other packs. Presumably the objections to the system were stronger than the advantages, otherwise it would not be allowed to fall into desuetude. On the one side, it may be said that hounds cared for by a number of people are less liable to suffer from diseases which are inevitable when many are kennelled together. On the other, hounds so reared cannot possibly be kept in the sound condition desirable for a hard day's work, and there was usually a lack of discipline in the field which was not always conducive to success.
The influence of fox hunting upon the social and economic side of rural life is one that should not be overlooked. It means that during the winter months thousands of wealthy men and
