APPENDIX I

A GLOSSARY OF HUNTING TERMS

Babbler, A. A hound that speaks when it is not sure of the scent.

Binder, A. The top of a cut and laid fence consisting of a thin branch interlaced between upright stakes.

Blood, To. Giving young hounds their first taste of a fox, or touching a child’s face with fox’s blood on the first occasion of his seeing a fox killed.

Bolt a fox, To. Making a fox leave an earth, or drain, by putting a terrier behind him.

Bottom, A. A big ditch, or drain, with a fence on one side.

Brush, The. The tail of a fox.

Bullfinch. A high thorn fence uncut, impenetrable and frequently unjumpable owing to its height.

Carry, To. When after a frost the ground is picked up by hounds’ feet or foxes’ pads.

Cast, To. An effort to recover the fox’s line after a check.

Check, A. When hounds are unable to own the line of the fox.

Chop, To. When a fox is killed before he has got on to his legs or has been run any distance.

Close a cast, To. When casting, making good all the ground over which the fox might have run.

Cub. A young fox.

Cub-hunting. Term for hunting before the opening of the regular season.

Cut and laid fence. A fence, the thorns of which are half-cut through so that they still grow and then turned over to strengthen the fence to keep in cattle—typical of the Shires.

Double, A. A fence or bank with a ditch on both sides.

Drag, A. The line of a fox leading to his resting-place.

Drain, A. A big ditch or water-course.

Draw, To. To look for a fox.

Drop fence. A fence with the landing lower than the take-off.

Earth, An. Where foxes breed, and where they usually rest during the day.

Earth-stopper. A man paid by the Hunt to close any holes or earths and thus to enable foxes to be found above ground.

Earth-stopping. This is done the evening before hunting by placing faggots or earth in the mouths of all holes used by foxes.

Enter, To. Teaching young hounds how to hunt a fox.

Feather, To. Hounds trying for the scent when they are uncertain.

Foil. Any kind of scent which will obliterate that of the fox.

Full cry. When hounds have settled to their fox with a good enough scent to allow them to speak to the line.

Good head, A. When hounds are running well together on a broad front, as opposed to tailing or strung out.

“Hark-forrard.” This signifies that a hound has spoken or the fox has been seen or holloaed further on.

Head, To. When a fox has been turned from his original line or back.

Heel, To run. When hounds hit the line of the fox and run it the opposite way to which the fox is going.

Hit, To make a. When a hound or huntsman recovers the line of the fox.

Holloa. An indication that a whipper-in or one of the field has seen the fox.

Huntsman, The. An amateur or professional who hunts the hounds.

Kennel huntsman, The. Is responsible for the feeding and kennel management of the hounds.

Lift hounds, To. When hounds are taken forward to where the fox has been seen or to where the huntsman thinks he has gone.

Mark to ground, To. When the fox has gone into an earth or drain and hounds stand at bay at that spot.

Mask, The. The fox’s head.

Over shot. When a hound’s upper jaw protrudes over his lower.

Oxer, An. The guard-rail of a thorn fence to prevent cattle getting into the ditch.

Pad, The. The foot of a fox.

Point, To make a. The distance as the crow flies across country that a fox has travelled.

Rasper, A. An expression used to describe a big fence.

Rate, To. An expression used when hounds are corrected by the voice for any act of ill-discipline.

Riot. Any animal that hounds will hunt other than foxes.

Running his foil. When a fox runs back on his own track.

Second horseman. A servant who rides one’s second horse until the first is tired.

Skirter, A. A hound that cuts corners and runs wide of the pack.

Stake and bound. See Cut and laid.

Stale line. When a fox has gone a long time.

Stern. The tail of a hound.

Swine chopped. When in a hound the lower jaw protrudes beyond the upper.

Tally ho. A holloa to show that the fox has been viewed.

Terrier man. A man often employed by the Hunt to head the terriers during a hunting day.

Vixen. A female fox.

Whipper-in. A servant who assists the huntsman in and out of kennel.