[To the Editor of the SPECTATOR.]
Sin,—Knowing your impartiality on this subject, may. I be allowed to give a short reply to Major F. G. B. Lethbridge's letter in your issue of the 25th. Major Lethbridge asserts that most animals end up by slaughtering one another. This is rather a far-fetched statement, as, apart from the carnivorous animals (which are comparatively few in England), the larger number of animals are herbaceous feeding, and therefore not prone to slaughtering their fellows.
As to the stag lolling his tongue when exhausted by Pursuit; matter of no moment, the great thing is that while hunted by the hounds, there ii no doubt of his suffering great mental anguish, apart from the abominable death meted out to him, when he LS at last brought to bay.
It is a strange mentality that ignores the terrible cruelties of the chase and tries to counter-balance them by pointing out other likely deaths which may happen to these noble creatures. Is it not within the realms of Possibility in this civilized and Christian country to use a means of exterminating the super- fluous animals by some humane method, even by skilful shooting at certain periods. To hunt a terrified animal, sometimes for long hours, with a pack of hounds, is to inflict torture upon it.—I am, Sir, &c., 59 Park Avenue, Mitcham; Surrey. MARGARET MARTIN.
Previous page
