The _Spectator_ says, “These Eton brutalities are condemned by the modern spirit of humaneness,” and quotes the rules of the Founder as follows, “No scholar, fellow, chaplain, or other minister, or servant of the College, shall keep or have hunting dogs, nets for hunting, ferrets, falcons or hawks,” urging that the Founder’s intention was humanitarian. There is no doubt, however, that this was simply the reservation of sporting rights. A similar clause is common in leases to this day. The arguments I have read or heard show a deplorable ignorance of the subject. I have been asked to give my views on the date on which hare hunting should stop, and on the killing of heavy does, a subject made much of by an ephemeral called the _Beagler Boy_. In 1906, in consequence of correspondence between Mr. Fitzroy Stewart and the Head Master of Eton on the subject of the School Beagles, and which mainly referred to the date on which hare hunting should cease, the _County Gentleman_ asked for the opinion of some of the leading masters of harriers and beagles on this point, three questions being asked, viz.: 1. Do you think it advisable to fix the date for the end of the hare-hunting season, and if so what date would you fix? 2. Do you subscribe to the opinion that a heavy hare has no scent? 3. Have you known in your experience heavy hares to be either run or chopped by hounds? Among the replies sent was the following from Mr. George Race (of Road Farm, Biggleswade), than whom no one was more qualified to give an opinion, he having been M.H. for seventy years: “Dear Sir,—In answer to your questions I can only tell you I do not consider it advisable to fix any date for discontinuing hare hunting; and for this reason. In the south of England hares get heavy two or three weeks earlier than they do in the north, and also in an extensive country well stocked with hares you can of course go on longer than in a small country not well stocked. As to the second question I am quite sure that a heavy hare emits little or no scent. As to your last question, I certainly have known heavy hares chopped by hounds and also run by hounds.” My own letter written from the High Peak country at that time was as follows, viz.: “Dear Sir,—In reply to your letter and the special questions: 1. I am not certain that a fixed date for closing the hare-hunting season is advisable. There is no doubt that in some countries such as this hunting can be carried on a week or two later than in many others. If a date were fixed I agree that the middle (16th) of March would be the best date, all things considered, though it would not be early enough to obviate the occasional killing of heavy does. 2. No; but I am certain that a heavy hare has comparatively little scent.