BREAKING AND HANDLING. 2OI 



successful, and mutually advantageous one hound presses 

 .the rabbit at his highest speed from the start, the other 

 hound running comparatively at ease several yards behind, 

 with ears pricked up, and keeping a very critical eye on the 

 situation. The hound which is forcing the running soon 

 turns the rabbit; on the instant, the waiting hound cuts 

 across the corner and in turn takes up the running and 

 forces the pace; the other hound, has been thrown a little 

 wide on the turn, but in the general effort there has been a 

 positive gain one hound has cut across the corner, is nearer 

 to the rabbit, and the other hound is running cunning in a 

 commanding position waiting for the next turn; meanwhile 

 the rabbit has been at his highest speed. This is contin- 

 ually repeated till the poor rabbit, bewildered and exhausted, 

 turns shorter, slower and oftener, only to find that the 

 prairie seems to be full of hounds. At last, with a hound 

 playing within a few yards of it, one on each side, a cunning 

 scheme applied near the end of the chase to drive it to cer- 

 tain death whichever way it goes, the poor rabbit makes a 

 last turn, a hound springs forward, reaches out his long 

 neck and head sidewise, gives a sudden twitch at the flank, 

 trips the rabbit, and before it can regain its feet it is in the 

 jaws of the second hound, a victim to misplaced confidence 

 in the power of matter over mind. In the chase, all the dif- 

 ferent distances are gauged and the mutual play timed to a 

 nicety. They not only learn a finished manner of running 

 cunning, but they learn to estimate correctly and take ad- 

 vantage of the individual capabilities of each other. For 

 instance, the hound which is running cunning will rear high 

 in front at proper intervals, without losing his stride or 

 speed, to see if any gain is being made on the rabbit. If he 

 notes that his companion has made his best spurt without 

 being able to turn the rabbit, he immediately spurts in turn 

 and takes up the running himself. 



