"Bard as Iron." 47 



squires. Of the pack, however, I must claim the privilege 

 of giving a description. It consists of seven couples of 

 beautiful white terriers, most decided enemies of the 

 vulpine race, or any other animal wearing fur and coming 

 under the denomination of vermin. In evidence of their 

 courage, two young ones are mentioned as having killed a 

 cat which weighed more than themselves when placed in 

 the scales together. Their pedigrees have been registered 

 with as much care and precision as those of any pack of 

 foxhounds in the kingdom. In symmetry they are perfect, 

 and their legs and feet quite models for masters of hounds 

 and huntsmen to study. Whenever the hounds run foxes 

 to ground in the neighbourhood, one of these game little 

 pets is sure to be in requisition ; and there were two of 

 them evincing the marks of recent conflicts with foxes 

 when employed in dislodging them from their subterranean 

 places of refuge. In that very useful employment the 

 destruction of rats they are superlatively good, and a huge 

 monster of that species was very quickly dispatched by a 

 little bitch only six months old ; and, although the rat 

 caught her by the cheek, she did not even utter a whimper. 

 The buildings devoted to their accommodation are com- 

 plete in every respect. They are miniature foxhound 

 kennels, well ventilated, and of comfortable temperature, 

 regulated by a thermometer, and the very paragon of clean- 

 liness." 



The late Captain White, after witnessing a trial of the 

 gameness and endurance of these terriers against two 

 newly-caught badgers, pronounced them, the terriers (not 

 the badgers), to be " as hard as iron, stout as steel, and 

 good as gold." 



No doubt there were as good terriers in those days as 



