Sir, - Kevin Myers's explicit piece on Reynard's death by disembowelling (An Irishman's Diary, November 15th) fails to mention two other regularly used methods of despatch. Guaranteed to extract the most pain is the use of a 12-bore shotgun with a game load cartridge administered to a fleeing fox's rear. Should this not be practical one can always lace a freshly killed lamb with a cocktail of weedkillers (recent legislation has banned the use of faster-acting poisons). Either method will ensure a minimum of two days' agony prior to death.
I venture to suggest that for every fox killed by hounds at least 100 meet their end by these less romantic means. - Yours, etc.,
David Patton,
Tullyvin, Co Cavan.