1. Results of polls on attitudes toward hare coursing and fox hunting are reported in Richard H. Thomas,The Politics of Hunting, Aldershot, UK: Gower, 1983, pp. 187–99. According to the poll, opposition to hare coursing amount to seventy-five per cent of respondents whereas, sixty per cent were against the hunting of foxes.
2. See Richard H. Thomas,The Politics of Hunting, Aldershot, UK: Gower, 1983, pp. 232–47. Although this summary focuses primarily on the ecological, economic, and ethical arguments, the author recognises The feeling that hunting is 'characteristically English' and that parliament 'should not interfere with the traditional life of this country' is deep-rooted in the hunting community'. He adds, The argument appears in most hunting debates and even coursing has been praised as an 'ancient and rather esoteric pastime' (p. 240). An appeal to the Englishness of hunting with dogs is made by the Duke of Beaufort in the frontispiece to his chapter 'Masters and Huntsmen', inIn Praise of Hunting, ed. David James and Wilson Stephens, 55, London: Hollis and Carter, 1960. The unattributed verse states, 'What lay behind/Was English character and mind, Great kindness, delicate sweet feeling (Most shy, most clever in concealing Its depth) for beauty of all sorts/Great manliness and love of sports .
3. Philip Windeatt,The Hunt and the Anti-Hunt, London: Pluto Press, 1982, pp. 38–39.
4. Steve Copold,Hounds, Hares and Other Creatures: The Complete Book of Coursing, Wheat Ridge, CO: Hoflin, 1996, pp. 36–39.