FOX-HOUNDS 95 



not more attention paid as to breeding for nose 

 and stoutness, from which all would derive the 

 benefit, except the wily animal. Even in the 

 upper countries it would be more satisfactory if 

 they oftener killed their fox, as our forest friend 

 truly says — 



But no, with him it's all the pace ; 

 Then hounds will look him in the face, 

 And seem to say, My noble master, 

 You cannot have us go much faster ; 

 For we, on flying so full intent, 

 A mile behind have left the scent. 



S. N. 



This rage for pace and shape in some measure 

 accounts for the great deficiency of nose, in com- 

 parison with what it was formerly. It is true that 

 hounds may be, and are nearer perfection, in point 

 of beauty. A throaty hound, for instance, is rarely 

 seen in a pack, although very common some years 

 back, when men thought more of hunting than of 

 riding ; but by getting rid of the throat the nose 

 had gone with it, for a throaty hound has in- 

 variably a good nose ; and that hounds were so 

 until the end of the last century nearly all sporting 

 pictures of hounds will prove. It happened, some 

 years since, a gentleman purchased an old-estab- 

 lished pack of hounds and wrote to request the 

 writer to go and look at them before he sent away 



