New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-08

me oras boy has instructions not to cross &
cultivated field With his aniseseed bag he lays
the scent along course that can work no pos
sible damage When hunting the fox. however,
the situation is entirely different Then the
neeing fox lays the course as best he can
1t would not surprise me-" said Mr. Keena.
TO see the farmers let the foxes go unmolested
now that they know that We want them and
VII surely Kill them I going TO write a
letter TO each farmer Offering s. for every fox
The Meadow Brook hounds ind on a mans prop
erty, whether XIII him or not and aside
from that, we shan stiu be ready and willing 70
pay Tor all damage done in the chase"
Individual or free lance" hunters spon much
Of the best sport OF the club for. outside Of the
club Itself and the farmers. they kin more foxe.
than any other persons on the island Owners
or private packs OF hounds formerly took num-
bers Of foxes each year. but now this form Of
sport has been almost entirely abandoned A
few OF the hunting clubs send out scouts TO pro
tect the young quail from the foxes, and in this
way . few foxes are shot each year Mr.. Keene
is. however. confident Of being able TO effect an
understanding with these clubs by making it
plain thar the Meadow Brook club viii Kill the
foxes and thus protect the birds
Though the club has hunted with hounds
since it was started. in lSS2, the hunts with
English foxhounds the dog Of all dogs with
which to hunt foxes, are OF comparatively recent
date II not until M Keene was made
master Of the hounds, year ago last February.
that the club began hunts with a pack Of full
blooded English foxhoUuGs. Mr.. Keene. Who
has hunted foxes extensively in England and
Ireland, purchased the pack Of f3rty-oGd couple
OF fOxhounds q the SaltkeIl Kennels, in Eng
land, and had them sent over 10 the Meadow
Brook kennels. They are fine appearing dogs
and had made a good reputation Tor themselves
= p . r7g. * IF
has another large pack Of drag hounds in the
club kennels. The fOXhounds are not allowed
70 hunt the drag, as 4 hound allowed 10 hunt
the drag soon becomes useless As foXhound.
Upon his return from England Mr. Keene gave
q great share Of his time To the promotion Of
the hunts with the result thar the Attendance
al them began 10 increase steadily. Last autumn
at several OF the fox hunts as many as sixty
OF more persons took part The club enjoyed
hfty-seven days Of good hunting ia that season.
and TO prove that the master Of the Meadow
Brook hounds has no sinecurr il is interesting
10 note that MI Keene took part in all except
two OF the hunts The autumn season lasts
usually till December !. but the spring ason is
much shorter lasting only about month
The season Just closed has been one II the
most interesting spring seasons in the history
OF the club This is partly due 10 the fact that
the master Of the hounds has enGea vorei as far
OF a beaten course The COURSES run have ex-
tended from the clubhouse al WaEtbUry TO
Huntington and other points and sometimes
when hunting foxes the course has led as far
ST James. The present day hunts differ
greatly from those in the early history Of the
club. In the old days the belief that foxes
could not be caught except At 4 very carly
hour brought few members out Of their beds
by or o'clock in the morning. and after
a chase Of a few miles the hunt vas over.
Now. with the aid OF the trained English
hounds, the hunts are started as late as II
O'Clock in the forenoon. and continue practically
the rest Of the day
The Meadow Brook hounds receive all the care
and attention that is bestowed upon foxhounds
In England.
IN addition TO his Whips the master OF the
hounds at a hunt club must have small retinue
OF other attendants. He must maintain large
stable for their use and other purposes MI
Keene keeps about twenty-five hunters, all
finely bred and conceded TO be some Of the best
IN the world for hunting. Ten OF these animals
were bred in Kentucky for the racetrack- In
addition TO the horses OF the master OF the
hounds each member has. OF course. his own
string Of finely bred mounts.
The annual disbursements OF such 4 club as
the Meadow Brook are large Last year. for in
stance about $4,000 paid out for main
tenance alone. and q large share OF this went