The Foxhound. 71 



and best able to endure fatigue." And Somerville, in "The Chase," gives 

 his views on this point in the following words : 



But here a mean , 



Observe, nor the large hound prefer, of size 

 Gigantic ; he in the thick-woven covert 

 Painfully tugs, or in the thorny brake 

 Torn and embarrassed bleeds ; but if too small 

 The pigmy brood in every furrow swims ; 

 Moiled in the clogging clay, panting, they lag 

 Behind inglorious ; or else shivering creep, 

 Benumbed and faint, beneath the sheltering thorn. 

 Foxhounds of middle size, active and strong, 

 Will better answer all thy various ends, 

 And crown thy pleasing labours with success. 



The head must be of good size and well balanced, forehead well pro- 

 nounced without being unduly prominent, good length of skull and also 

 of muzzle, which is not pointed, the nostrils being wide and open ; the 

 ears, which are generally rounded to prevent them from getting torn, set 

 on low and closely carried. 



The neck from the head should gradually swell towards the shoulder ; 

 it is long and muscular, without coarseness, clean, and free from dewlap 

 or throatiness, such as characterise the bloodhound and old southern 

 hound. 



The shoulders should be strong and clean, not loaded, and well sloped, 

 the arms long and muscular, the elbows thereby being well let down. It 

 is essential the elbows should be quite straight, in a line with the body, 

 to insure the requisite speed. 



The chest should be deep and fairly wide, the ribs, especially the back 

 ribs, coming down well, giving strength and a certain degree of square- 

 ness without clumsiness. 



The back and loins must be strong, and connected with abundance of 

 muscle. 



The hind quarters of the foxhound must also be very strong, the 

 buttocks firm and muscular, the thighs long, letting down the hock well, 

 and the stifles but slightly bent. 



The legs and feet are of great importance. The leg bone should be 

 great, and the muscles hard and firm. They should be " straight as 

 arrows," and the feet round and compact, with high knuckles, strong 

 claws, and a hard, firm sole. 



The coat must be close, short, and rather hard in texture. The chief 



