Fox Hunting: A Treatise by the Right Hon. the Earl of Kilreynard

The origin of this scientific pursuit is so remote that it can be said that it is lost in the thick fog of antiquity, but that hunting for foxes existed in prehistoric times, there can be no doubt, as there is no evidence documented or otherwise to prove that it is not this way. When and where the first fox was caught and killed by the hounds, the Foxhound Masters Committee never determined. But it should be hoped that in the interests of science and morality, they will spare no effort to shed light on such an important issue and resolve it finally. So far, the author has proven that all the evidence given during the various hunts in support of their claim to this distinction was completely false and misleading. There can be little doubt that the ice ages of the Dark Ages have proven to be the most damaging to fox hunting interests, given the frustration that five thousand years or more of continuous cold will cause even the most enthusiastic adherents. It becomes necessary to use our imagination if we want to contemplate a prehistoric fox hunt. Taking into account the conditions that existed then, we come to the conclusion that the sport was conducted in a very rude and primitive manner, but it is interesting to find traces of these cruel methods in the behavior of the "fields" today.