Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-10-19

TRAPPING WITH NETS AND CRABS
slightly melting the wax. lit them and turned
the crabs into the holes. Their instinct to find
water led them downward, and the light
scared the rabbits out into the nets, and SO in
short time nearly every rabbit in the burrows
was captured.
In Egypt. especially in the neighborhood oil
lsmailia, rabbits are very plentiful, but they
do not burrow into the ground to any extent.
They are found lying in the fiat, almost desert
land. where patches of low bramble and tama-
risk bushes about the only things that
grow. An Egyptian rabbit hunt is a social
picnic. number of people engage a pro-
fesslonal guide or hunter who is mounted on
dromedary and who finds the dogs The
party, mounted on small horses, accompany
him. When the hunting ground is reached the
party form into a half circle and the dogs are
loosed. When a rabbit is found the dogs are
called back and two of the riders gallop after
the rabbit and shoot at it with a shot gun as il
twists from patch to patch of cover. As
each one is killed the line reforms and the
old sheik on the dromedary again takes
command. There is good deal of fun to be
had ana few tumbles and rolls in the soft,
warm sand, but it is not wise to offer any ad-
vice or suggestions to the old leader, who
brooks no interference. Some wonderfully
fine shooting is done. for rabbit is a small
one thing sought, a small bag for a good deal
OF work does not matter.
REAL FOXES AND SCENT BAGS
Although the English method of fox hunt
ing, or a very poor parody of it, has been in
troduced into this country, it will never be-
come popular with the masses To gallon
eight or ten miles after a scented skin dragged
along the ground, and to know that at Just such
point or place a tame fox will be turned
loose, cannot prove very attractive. The old
time method of shooting the fox will still hold
the place of honor with our sportsmen.
OF course, the first thing is 20 find the runs
or haunts Of fox. and the rest is easy, if a
good day Is at hand. Early morning is the
best time, as then the fox will probably have
fed and will be inclined to sleep. The scent,
too, lies better on dewy, wet grass than on dry
ground. and the hound will find him better.
There should be at least half a dozen sports
men, so as to cover good area of ground as,
If practicable, the fox will skulk for some dis
lance before breaking cover. He will also
break up hill In preference to down hill, and
after being shot will run to the last gasp before
he drops. He has habit also, if cornered of
dropping down as if dead, and when the I'M
wary hunter lowers his gun to pick him up the
cunning beast will jump to his feet and get
clear away before a shot can stop him.
Some districts have curious methods Of fox
nuntlng. remember some years ago at Bing-
hamton, NY, fox hunt took place in which
a tame fox was led by chain between two
men on a zigzag course for about five miles,
describing an irregular circle, ending by being
led through barrel firmly anchored to the
ground. About twenty dogs were started on
the scent and the first dog through the barrel
won the first prize, which, l believe, amounted
to about $780,
In shooting fox use No. shot, as nothing
smaller Is OF any use. II a breech-loading gun
is used, it will be found good plan to make q
mixture OF one part wax and seven parts NUT.
ton suet and run it when melted in among the
shot. This will increase the killing range OF
the gun fully forty yards, and at a short range
Is better than bullet. VILE p Poyn