COUKSING. 471 



enal burst of speed, makes a straight go-by and kills the 

 rabbit. Up goes the white flag, and the wearer of the 

 white collar is the winner by four points; and the judge 

 hears the shouts from the spectators a mile away. 



He dismounts to give his panting steed a moment's 

 rest, and secures the game as the owners of the dogs 

 hasten up to relieve their thirst from a well-filled flask of 

 pure water. 



As the dogs are secured, another brace is placed in the 

 slips, and race follows race in quick succession. About 

 twelve races are run in a day, or more if the rabbits are 

 plentiful, and this is kept up for six successive days. In 

 a sixty-four-dog stake, there will necessarily be thirty- 

 two pairs the first round, and thirty-two winners; six- 

 teen pairs in the second, eight in the third, four in the 

 fourth, and two in the last round, leaving one grey- 

 hound winner over all. He will necessarily run six races 

 in as many days; but frequently, at the close, he may be 

 obliged to run two races in one day. The dog last run- 

 ning with the winner is called the runner up, because he 

 ran through the races up to the last race without being 

 defeated once. 



To judge the races successfully, it requires a swift and 

 level-headed horse, a fearless rider, with quick perception 

 and staunchness, and thoroughly conversant with the 

 rules. 



It is almost impossible to keep with the dogs; but the 

 frequent turns enable the judge to cut corners, and in this 

 manner is kept in sight. Not infrequently a badger-hole 

 suddenly appears, and as the horse attempts to avoid 

 it, he loses his footing, and a header is taken that dis- 

 turbs the judge's anatomy not a little; but no serious 

 accident has befallen anyone in three yearly meetings, 

 although several have been thrown from their horses 

 with considerable violence. 



